Choice of Destiny
by angelwings1
Summary: Fate had brought her into a world not her own and gave her a second family. Now she must understand that it is not fate alone that decides a person's life. When the climax of both worlds peaks Kagome must decide her destiny, she must make her choice IK
1. Setting the Stage

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters in the series, movies, etc. All other characters are my own creation and cannot be duplicated. 

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings

Chapter 1 ~ Setting the Stage

            How long had it been?

            How long since that day? 

            It seemed so far away now. Four years had come and gone. She could barely remember the life before then. Before, she had been adjusting to the strange world of highschool, but instead she was becoming comfortable with feudal Japan. Her closest friends had been a couple of normal teenage girls checking out the cute boys until that day. Now her dearest of companions was a fox, a demon hunter, and a monk. Her responsibility of homework and chores became a hunt for a shattered jewel.  She had fought monsters the size of skyscrapers and battled enemies that held as much power as an atomic bomb. She had slept on rocky ground and hiked endless miles. 

            All because the family cat had hid in the well house her world had flipped upside down and inside out. 

            However, she wouldn't change it for the world. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Why haven't I built a ladder for this stupid well?" Kagome groaned while she dragged herself over the lip of the stonewall, "Four years of climbing twenty feet high you would think I gain a clue."

            Wearily the young twenty-year-old tossed her thirty-pound backpack to the ground. Tired from her climb, the girl decided to take a rest and sat comfortably on the well. Kagome peeled off her old highschool jacket and sighed, "The sun feels so nice. Although summer is in a few days, the nights have been chilly in this era."

            Her hand swept back her dark mane and revealed her slender shoulders protruding from her green tank top. Smiling she stared up at the empty blue heavens. 

            _'I wonder how long it will take for Inuyasha to smell my scent. He should be surprise to see me two days earlier than plan.' _

            As if on cue, a gruff voice spoke, "What are you doing here, wench?"

            She rolled her eyes, "Nice to see you too, Inuyasha."

            He stood there, frown on his face like he done so many times before, but all she could see was the smile in his eyes. He tried to hide it, but she had known him for almost half a decade. He could not hide the truth from her. 

            "My finals ended early this year" she giggled anticipating his next reaction, "I moved out of the dormitory yesterday. I spent the night with the family and now I am ready for three months of jewel hunting."

            Now his face changed, "You mean you're not leaving Feudal Japan until the beginning of your junior year?"

            "Yep" she smiled her eyes glowing. She was so excited to be in the warring states. When she had started college, she could no longer ignore the work of her education. She was barely able to take time away from school to visit the historical Japan. It was a good thing the jewel shards had become rare or else Inuyasha would have never let her leave. It now took two weeks for the group to find a lead on a shard and even then, it took a while before they could get a solid location on the fragment. 

            It had been too long.

            Slowly she looked over the demon man before her. He didn't look a week older than the first day they met. His face was hard as usual and she could see the hint of muscles pushing against his clothes. She nearly laughed aloud when she saw his gold eyes narrowing on her. He had the front of a warrior, but the soul of a teddy bear. 

            He smirked, "So you finally know your place as a shard detector?"

            And the head of chauvinist pig . . . 

            Kagome rolled her eyes and wrapped the arms of her jacket around her waist, "Come on, Inuyasha. Let's go see the others. It's been two weeks since I was last here."

            "Feh." He grunted his regular reply, "I don't think you should be going to school. It keeps you from finding jewels."

            She was already walking away, "If it wouldn't take forever to find a single shard then my presence here would be important. Even when I'm here I'm no help. The only jewel fragments we haven't found are too far away for me to sense. We need to follow up on stories about rampant demons before we can ever head into a direction."

             "Stop giving excuses!" he floundered helplessly, "If you were here more often I wouldn't have to go on stupid goose chases!"

            He sounded so harsh, but Kagome felt complemented by his words. Perhaps chasing dead end leads frustrated him, but the young woman could read what he also meant. 

            _He missed her. _

            Kagome tossed a warm smile over her shoulder at the man making him blush. 

            "I've missed you, too, Inuyasha." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The welcome had been as warm as always. The village had bubbled with joy at the young priestess return and her dear friends had eagerly brought her to Kaede's hut, Kagome's second home. A fire was started and tea was shared as the group happily spoke about the last few weeks. 

            "How has _college been?" Sango asked rolling the unfamiliar word over her tongue, "Have you been well?"_

            "Oh, quite well. My professors were impressed with my grades and said I shall do well once I finish my degree" Kagome cuddled her small fox kid, "They also said I had a real passion for history."

            Miroku grinned, "Well, you are part of it."

            They small group laughed. It was good to have their friend back. When Kagome was away in her present time their odd family felt incomplete. Without her, they felt empty. Kagome was the backbone of their group. The person who kept them together with hope and determination had always been her. She didn't understand the impact she had on every individual, but they did. 

            Each of them had been lost in their paths when they had encountered the young teenager. Unknowingly to each member a bond immediately grew with the reincarnated priestess. She held out her hand and they took it dragging themselves out of their personal abandonment. She became the foundation on which they built their new starts. Now as they began to stand on their own feet, their own strength, their dependency faded, but their bond with her did not. It grew.

            "So how have all of you been?" Kagome asked while sipping her herbal tea, "I have been wondering how the hunt was going."

            Automatically the group crowding around the hut's fire sat up straight. There would be plenty of time later to chat. There was business to discuss now. 

            "We have been questioning all travelers for the last two weeks about any strange disturbances" Sango began, "but there has been nothing out of the ordinary demons causing havoc."

            "Until this morning" Miroku interrupted, "Today a young samurai on horseback arrived in the village. When we asked the regular questions he said there had been a strange reaction going on in the north."

            "What do you mean?" the priestess questioned. 

            "There had been demons deserting a mountain area in the Great Peaks" Sango answered, "At first it was thought to be some migration, but then large hordes of random demons began rushing from the mountains as if it was poison. The samurai also said a dark cloud began to form over one of the peaks as well. He thought it was a bad omen."

            Inuyasha asked the question no one had yet to speak, "Could it be a shard?"

            "Who's to know? It could be a shard or just bad weather approaching" the monk joked weakly. 

            "We have to go see what it is!" Shippo cried excitedly. He couldn't wait to get out of the boring village and again travel with his foster mother. He had missed her so. 

             "It could be nothing" Inuyasha grumbled, "Just another goose."

            Sango ignored the grumpy demon, "What do you think Kagome?"

            Everyone waited for the maiden's answer. Kagome, unknown to her, was their decision maker. If they could not decide Kagome had the answer. 

            "I think we should check it out" the woman muttered staring at the floor, "Something tells me this is more than a shard, but whatever is going on over in the mountains seems too big of a situation to pass up."

            The group nodded in agreement except for the dog demon, who just grunted. 

            "I say we stay here for the night and start off early morning," Miroku suggested. Everyone agreed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Kagome sat on the front porch of Kaede's hut. Her family lied inside peacefully sleeping as the woman stared at the stars. A breeze swung by and the teen pulled her jacket tighter around her. 

            '_I wonder where Inuyasha went. Probably went sleep in some tree.'_

            She leaned her back against a pole for the roof _'I wonder what is waiting for us at the mountains. Is it a shard? I hope it is at least for the sake of Inuyasha.'  _

She tucked her knees against her chest, _'It so hard for him. He can't stand to do nothing. It's not in him to laze about. He feels like he's disrespecting Kikyo if he's not searching out Naraku or the shards.'_

            "What are you doing up?" a voice spoke overhead. Kagome lifted her face and saw Inuyasha leaning over the edge of the roof staring down at her, "We have to be up early tomorrow. You need rest."

            "Oh, I couldn't sleep" she replied sweetly, "I tried to go to bed, but I just tossed and turn for over an hour. I decided to sit outside and enjoy the night air."

            He put his elbows at the edge of the roof and laid down his head, "You missed this era, didn't you?"

            Kagome swallowed the lump growing in her throat, "Yes. It's not the same to be in my time. I love my family back in Modern Japan, but you all are my family as well."

            She casually brushed back her hair while wiping away a tear, "To be separated from either is hard. Sometimes I am confused about where I should be."

            "What do you mean?" he asked a little bewildered, "You belong in your time."

            He didn't mean it the way it sounded. She knew that, but it was still hard to hear. 

            "I know" she choked back more tears, "but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be here."

            Inuyasha cocked his head to the side. He could smell saltwater. Was she crying?

            He studied her still form carefully and noticed a small glimmer on her cheek. Immediately he swung over the lip of the roof and landed softly in front of her. She frantically tried to hide her fresh tears, but he grabbed her hands. 

            "Sorry for getting emotional" she whispered with her head down. She knew Inuyasha was very neutral with emotions. He hated to show any sign of sentiment. So, you can imagine her shock when he tenderly brushed away her tears. Her eyes shot up and found his gold ones staring softly at her.

            "Don't apologize" his ruff voice spoke quietly, "I already know you're too weak to keep in your emotions."

            Again, he sounded unsympathetic. Of course anyone who had ever come to know the hanyou knew he was trying to show his concern. It was just his way. 

            She smiled her understanding and slowly looked at the blinking stars. 

            _'I was brought here to you and the others. I don't belong in this time, in this world, but here I am. Fate gave me this second family.'_


	2. Get Your Dollar's Worth

Disclaimer: I do not own characters off of the Inuyasha anime series, but all other characters are my own creation. Do not steal anything off of this story or you will be committing plagiarism!

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings 

Chapter 2 ~ Get Your Dollar's Worth

            "I made this for you while you were away, Kagome."  

            The small kitsune held up his small hand to his dame revealing a piece of wood. Kagome smiled at the odd gift uncertain of its meaning, "Thank you, Shippo. That was quite thoughtful."

            He smiled broadly from upon her shoulder, "I knew you would like it."

            Still grinning the lady turned the object over and noticed carved drawings in the chunk of bark, "What are these symbols?"

            "There all of us, Kagome" Sango answered for the kit, "Each represents one of us."

            Eagerly the fox demon ran down the teen's arm and pointed at the symbols, "This is Inuyasha."

            His tiny finger was pointed to a white blob of clay. Staring at it Kagome recognized a set of triangle ears poking out of the design. Yep, that was Inuyasha. 

            "This" his finger went to a purple boomerang shape with a head, "is Sango."

            Next, there was a spiraling black circle, "Miroku."

            An orange flame, "Kilala"

            A muddy fox tail, "Me."

            A red and white smug, "Kaede."

            Last, was a curved line and pink oval, "And this is you, Kagome."

            The young priestess ran her fingertips over the bow and Shikon jewel pasted to the bark. Tears began to water her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, "It's beautiful, Shippo. I am so glad you gave me a family portrait."

            He scowled, "Family portrait?"

            She nodded, "Over in my time it's often custom for a household to have a picture taken of themselves. You remember what a photograph is, don't you?"

            "Yep!" he smiled broadly, happy to know something of Kagome's world, "That's those flat squares with the frozen images. They come from what you call a camra." 

            "Camera" the woman corrected while pulling out her Polaroid. Before the fox knew what happened, the time-traveling girl had snapped a flash in his face. 

The small demon staggered on her arm and exclaimed, "What was that?" 

A thin piece of white protruded from the black box forming an interest from the small demon and demon hunter. Sango looked over her friend's shoulder curious, "Is this the photograph you were talking about?"

"Yea, I had wanted to take pictures of you all, but was afraid the people that would develop them might get too curious about what they saw" Kagome smiled at the image of the laughing fox demon, "So I waited till I got this camera. This one develops the pictures itself."

Shippo sniffed the photograph and then turned to the camera, "That's amazing. How does it do it?"

The priestess winked at the huntress, "its magic."

His eyes grew wide, "Wow. I didn't know your world also had magic, Kagome."

"Well, in my time we call it science" the woman giggled shamelessly. 

Sango smiled as she scratched Kilala's chin. Kagome had already explained to her about science in the future. Shippo was just too young to understand the complexity of his mother's time. Together the two maidens laughed as Shippo carefully held the camera as if it was the Shikon jewel. 

Kagome looked up. Miroku was walking ahead of them with Inuyasha and momentarily he was glancing back them, grinning. When the monk turned back around the woman leaned over to her sister-friend, "So has Miroku changed any?"

The demon hunter's shoulders went rigid, "No, and I refuse to be courted until he quits chasing other women."

_'Who could blame you?'_

Kagome whipped up her hands, "Don't worry I am not defending him. You have ever right to refuse him."

_'I would know.'_

Immediately the woman from the future got quiet and stared at the back of the dog demon. Sango bowed her head sadly. She had not meant to remind her friend of her own problems. 

Kagome stared at the man's stiff back, _'He's doing it again. If he shows me the tiniest bit of affection, he'll be cold to everyone the next day, especially to me.'_

She watched her feet walk over the ground, _'I know you chose her. I've accepted that.'_

Inuyasha glanced at the treetops his face in stone. Her eyes began to water, '_It's just . . .'_

Her hands fisted at her sides, _'I wish you would stop teasing my emotions.'_

She brushed her hair back, _'Don't cry. He'll smell your tears.'_

Suddenly, Kagome felt a tingling sensation in the back of her head. She frowned as the feeling slowly drilled into her head, piercing her brain, _'One. . . No, two.' _

Inuyasha and Kagome both stopped walking in the same instant surprising the rest of the group. Sango turned to her sister, "What is it?"

"Jewel Shards!" the priestess shouted while whipping out her bow. 

Inuyasha jumped into the air and landed in front of the two ladies, "its stupid wolf-breath!"

Kagome relaxed her grip on the weapon, "Kouga?"

In seconds, the branches overhead began to sway and the land pounded beneath their feet. Air whirled around them as a small tornado rushed into their line of sight. 

Kagome stepped forward past the dog demon as the wind devil slowed and a man stepped out of the cloudy tunnel. The new arrival gave a fanged grin at the sight of the priestess. Automatically his eyes gathered her image, "I thought I smelt you near."

"Hello, Kouga" she welcomed as warmly as ever, "How have you been?"

He glanced at Inuyasha's scowl and intentionally put himself just a few feet away from the lady, "As well as ever, but my spirits rise now that I have been graced with such beauty."

She grinned nervously, _'I should have expected something like that. He enjoys irritating Inuyasha. I wish he would give up his claim on me.'_

The rest of the group shuffled behind her obviously uncomfortable with his sudden presence. Kouga always had a way to start a quarrel in the group, mostly with Inuyasha.

"Thank you for the complement" she rubbed her bare arm, "Um, what are you doing away from your pack, Kouga?"

He glanced over his shoulder his tail swooshing behind them, "Oh, they're just down the path."

"Down the path?" she raised an eyebrow. 

He gave her a grim expression, "Yea. I've been concerned with what's going on at the mountain. Demons have been piling out like crazy and I was wondering what it's about."

"Why did you bring your pack though?" she said just as the first waves of wolves poured into view, "You think something big is going on?"

            The wolf leader nodded, "I have been unable to get much sleep since the dark clouds appeared. Something is wrong."

            "Well get to walking wolf breath if your so concern" Inuyasha growled as he walked up beside Kagome. 

            The young woman exhaled quietly, _'It starts.'_

            "I'll leave when I am ready, half-breed" Kouga hissed darkly, "Besides I want to know where my woman heads."

            _'Don't go there'_ she grumbled inwardly_, 'Not now.'_

            "Kagome is not your woman!" Inuyasha shouted, taking a step forward.

            For once Kouga ignored the remark and turn to the woman in mention, "Where are you all headed, Kagome?"

            Well, he deserved an answer she supposed, but she hated what he would do when he heard it, "To the mountain where the storm clouds form."

            At that moment the rest of the pack appeared from the brush and piled behind their leader. Kouga smiled wickedly, "I shall accompany you then. I must protect my future-mate from any danger she may encounter."

            _'I am not a damsel in distress.'_

            Her shoulders dropped heavily, "As I have said before, Kouga, I do not consent to becoming your mate."

            "You hear that, wolf turd!" Inuyasha shouted triumphantly, "She'll never become your mate!"

            Her heart constricted, _'Nor yours.'_

            Suddenly, she awakened from her reverence and noticed Kouga was inches away from her, his chest nearly brushing hers. She could feel his body heat pouring over her and saw a lustful look in his eyes. Gasping she tried to step back, but he grabbed her hands stopping her. Inuyasha fumed nearby as the wolf leader mumbled softly, "You shall take my offer sooner or later, my mate-to-be. Soon you will see my worthiness."

            Her face grew hot, "It's not that! It's not that you're unworthy, Kouga." 

She needed to get him to step back or Inuyasha my kill him, "You are a wonderful guy."

            The white-haired demon's scowl grew deeper as he grumbled almost quietly, "Wonderful? Ha!"

            Kouga grin grew as he leaned in closer, "See already my advances are weakening you."

            Her shoulders fell. He would never learn. Love just couldn't be forced, even though, the wolf leader thought otherwise. Even after years of refusal he still nipped at her heels determined as ever. Now that she had matured to a more a womanly personality (and to him, evidently, a more womanly figure) he had dropped more visits on their band. He had even begun to, as Sango explained, pursue her. 

            Kagome though he had started that a long time ago, but it was only now he had started to really lay it thick. He came to her speaking of mating rituals and time of seasons. He would express his want for a mate (namely her) and began to already announce her as his fiancé. Her title as "his woman" had been dropped, but "mate-to-be" had become more pronounced, along with Inuyasha's hissy fits. 

            Whenever Kouga waltzed by Inuyasha went into "ultra-protective" mode, which was fine by Kagome only if there was actual reason to be. Kouga did get a little too affectionate for her to stomach, but other times she was perfectly comfortable with him. It was Inuyasha who never enjoyed the wolf's presence, and that hurt her.

            She had long knew Inuyasha's feelings for her, didn't the whole world? Problem was with the fact Kikyo still held the demon's heart. Kagome knew Kikyo and Inuyasha loved each other, but it was hard to watch her beloved deny her _all of his love. Kagome and Inuyasha had long ago established between an affection beyond friendship with one another, but it had been silently agreed that their relationship could never go beyond that because of Kikyo. He had committed to the dead priestess first. _

            So Inuyasha refused Kagome. 

            But she could not just walk away from him. 

            She could walk away from Feudal Japan.

            She could walk away from her life here.

            She could even walk away from Sango, Shippo, and Miroku, . . . 

            But she could not walk away from him.

            Her soul would not let her. 

            She loved him unconditionally, something she had never meant to do, but did. 

            She had decided to suffer and watch as he threw himself at another woman. She shouldered the hurt as she saw him love Kikyo, knowing he truly did love her, her previous self. She could never accuse a lack of love between the two, for it was her mirror-self he was devoted to and Kagome knew Inuyasha had fallen in love with her soul. How could he not love Kikyo, herself? The one that belonged in this time?

            The one who had been wrongly murdered by their trickster?

            She allowed him to love Kikyo because they belong with one another. 

            Kagome had just accidentally fallen in on their mending love life.

            That's what was hardest – knowing she didn't belong in this time period, with him. 

            "Keep your mangy hands to yourself, you sad excuse for a demon!" Inuyasha ripped Kouga away from her.

            Her hands dropped lifelessly, _'Round one.'_

            "Look who's talking, MUTT!"

            Sango and Miroku came up beside Kagome as the two demons raised their fists. The demon killer crossed her arms, "They always use the same insults. Strange how they can't think of something else after four years."

            "Yea" the priestess muttered wearily. 

            Her sister scowled, "Are you alright?"

            _'No.'_

            "Of course" she plastered a smile, "I was just wishing they would grow up."

            A wicked smile crawled up the huntress's face, "How about if we walk off and see how long it takes them to notice?"

            Before the maiden could answer Miroku had already turned them to the road, "Lets."

            Giggling together the three humans, a fox demon, and a cat demon started walking towards the mountains with a wolf pack staring after them unable to leave their leader. It wasn't until the small family (minus one member) was well down the path that they heard the awaiting, "Hey!"

__________________________________

            Kagome looked up through the branches feeling the warm sun dance on her face. She smiled brightly and lied down on Kilala's furry back. Muscles rippled beneath her back as the giant demon walked with the group. Shippo crawled over his mother's stomach and rolled into a ball. Her hand swept over his soft fur.

            A breeze drifted through the trees as the group walked onwards. Inuyasha kept to the lead with Kouga and his pack to the rear. Both acted as if the other had a disease. If either of them stepped out of place they both would start growling like rabid dogs. 

Miroku commented about something to Sango and the woman burst into laughter. 

            It was if the world around had settled quietly into place, fitting like a puzzle. There appeared to be no fear or anticipation from the traveling group even though they were heading towards the unknown. Kagome closed her eyes and thought, _'Why does this feel so right?'_

            She couldn't help, but wonder whyshe felt so comfortable in the past and less in the future. Before, her life had not been as exciting. She had been content with her school life and enjoyed being a young girl. However, when she arrived in Feudal Japan her heart grew hollow. She watched the people's lives in the past and realized how empty her life was. She had cared about getting a date for her prom when people were fighting for honor and power. She had always known life was more than cute boys and teenage gossip, but she had never been able to see past how her peers acted. When she had arrived in Feudal Japan her heart had stretched enveloping the life found in that mountain village. The people proved that there were more important things to life. 

              Like family . . . 

            Kagome had never enjoyed the way of modern times where her friends were all about boys. She had never been comfortable about letting her grades slack or breaking house rules for her own fun. 

            It just wasn't right to her. 

            On the other side of the well where demons ruled, she could see what people were fighting for. She could see people with purpose and maturity. Even the children acted as if they understood what was important in the world. Their steps were meaningful and confident. 

            In the beginning of her adventures she had been shy and unsure of herself. She was a small girl who did not understand their way of life. She didn't face demons or handle the lack of technology. This was all new to her and extremely intimidating. 

            Spending her time here had brought a growth into her. She began to let of materialistic objects and began to appreciate the outdoors. Education was still important to her, but it was the past that kept her attention. 

            Kagome's eyes opened to realize modern times were self-dependent on the luxuries of life. People of the future had lost sight of what was valuable. They had become blind to what there was behind the luxuries.

            Here in the past, people knew nothing of luxuries other than what Kagome brought. 

Slowly through the years, Kagome had begun to find herself thorn. She had one life in the present/future while there was another in the Feudal Era. The time periods had ripped her lifestyle into two personalities, neither of which she was willing to let go of. 

It didn't take a genius to understand that one day she would have to choose. Sooner or later, Naraku would be stopped and the jewel would be completed. Every time that thought crossed her mind Kagome felt her world crash onto her shoulders. She had come from the future, but her heart was both there and in the past. 

She had come to believe fate had brought her to the Feudal Era. At first she was unsure why, but then one day when she had another fight with Inuyasha she had understood why she had come. 

She had been brought to wake him up from Kikyo's spell. 

She had been brought to bring back Kikyo. 

She had been brought to give Inuyasha and Kikyo a second chance with each other. 

It had been the hardest realization to accept. Her purpose in the Feudal Era had brought much heartache, yet it had been all necessary. The betrayal and anger in the lost lovers' emotions had been too much to overlook and destiny had decided they deserved happiness. 

Slowly her eyelids blinked and a tear slipped by. It was too hard to accept. It had taken her nearly a week to believe in the idea and then several more days to accept. When she did she knew her relationship with Inuyasha could never be the same. 

She could not allow herself to grow too close to him. When she left it would hurt just that much worse. 

            Abruptly, her stomach dropped and her perfect world began to fade, _'this is too perfect. It's like the silence before the storm.'_

            The sensation in her gut began to swell. Her heart began to pound, _'Ok, maybe it's not so perfect.'_

            Her ears grew deaf and needles prickled her skin. Kagome opened her eyes frowning. What was it? It wasn't a jewel. 

            Automatically she shot up from Kilala's back. Kouga looked over at the woman startled by her abrupt movement. Kagome concentrated hard on the sensations running through her body. Her chest began to open up and heat flowed through her chest. She locked her jaws together and closed her eyes. 

            There had to be something out there.

            Kouga by this time was growing concern. He had begun to notice sweat beading on his mate's brow. 

            Her blood strummed and began to turn cold. She clutched her kit's small form as her body shuddered. Almost . . . 

            Suddenly an icicle pierced her soul. 

            "Kagome?" the wolf leader called almost too faint for her to hear. 

            The woman opened her eyes immediately, ignoring how everyone was staring at her, and looked at the now dark sky. Her eyes narrowed on the rolling black clouds above. 

            _'Great. It's an actual storm.'_

            In seconds a hurricane wind ripped through the forest and branches flapped around wildly. Everyone began shouting at once. Kagome dug her knees into the cat demon's side and kept the kit close. Shippo was already wailing his fears as the wind tried to rip him from her fingers. 

            "Everyone latch on to a tree!" Inuyasha shout got caught up in the wind. As commanded the party began to scatter to the large trunks and each traveler began to tie ropes around their stomachs. Sango nearly lost the ground when a blast of air hit her, but Miroku and a wolf man grabbed her arms before she was swept away. Inuyasha and Kouga rushed to the young priestess as Kilala hurried to a tree. 

            "Hurry!" Inuyasha cried, "Give me, Shippo!" 

            Desperately and carefully, she handed her kit to him and nearly laughed as she saw him shove the fox into the wolf. Kouga growled, he had wanted to help his mate down, but his rival was beating him to it. 

            Kagome stretched out her hand to her loved partner and felt his hand grip hers. A rushing feeling ripped through her ears and suddenly she was airborne. She never felt herself loose his hand or heard them scream her name. She was in a chaotic whirl raking out of the branches. The trees scratched their hands across her body trying to catch her before she went out of reach. Her lungs compressed and her head jostled.

            Before she knew how far she had risen she blacked out. 


	3. More than What It Is

~ I do not own the characters off of the anime series Inuyasha, but everything else is my own original creativity and to copy is plagiarism! ~ 

Choice of Destiny 

By angelwings

Chapter 3 ~ More than What It Is

            She felt cold. 

            Maybe wet was a better word. 

            She was in something soft. Her head was an empty dock. 

            Something hit below her eye and then slid down her cheek. It was icy cold.

            Water.

            She stirred, groaning. Gradually she realized more water was hitting her. 

            It was raining.

            It was cold rain.

            Feebly Kagome rolled her head to the side and drug her eyes open. She was lying down in slick mud. 

            _'Perfect.'_

            "You need to get up" a small melodic voice spoke. 

            Her mind was still confuse, lost and muddled, so when she turned her eyes to see a young child's face staring down at her the woman could only whisper, "What?"

            The girl was small, maybe seven years old. Her long hair was rich ebony pulled back by an evergreen ribbon tied behind her neck stretched across her tiny forehead. Her sparkling green eyes stared curiously at her, "You must'n be out in the rain. One might get sick."

            Kagome picked her sore body out of the mud hearing the sickening suction of the earth. She was covered in the slime. She felt as if the world had bore her like a child from a womb, "Ugh. Where am I?"

            She glanced about, but saw only hazy trees through pouring rain. A little hand grabbed hers and Kagome turned back to the girl. Her young blank face turned away, searching, "Come under the trees and out of the rain. You stay out any longer and you may grow deathly ill."

            Too weak to refuse Kagome nodded and allowed the child to guide her to the shelter of the treetops. Once there the woman dropped onto a huge tree root. Her eyes crawled over to the girl. The child stood at the edge of the tree staring out at the rain. Her face was slim and round. Her delicate profile dripped with rainwater. Kagome looked her over noticing the child's kimono was a fine green and blue silk. What shocked the woman though was that the child was wearing no shoes in the cold weather, "What are you doing out in this storm, little one?"

            "I am waiting" the girl spoke softly. Her gaze lingered out into the clearing penetrating the curtain of rain. 

            "For what?" Kagome inquired still in a daze. Her mind was swimming.

            The girl squeezed the water out of her kimono, "My parents."

            Kagome frowned, "Why would they leave you in this storm?"

            She shrugged her face smiling, "Where are you going?"

            Nice change in subject. The woman's eyebrows rose, "How do you know I was going some where?"

            The girl shrugged, "Why else come out from shelter unless you were going somewhere?"

            _'Touché.' _

            "I was heading to the mountains with some friends" she commented watching the girl, "I got separated in the storm."

            "Well there are not here it seems" the child said as she swayed sided to side, again watching the rain. Something wasn't right about the child. She appeared too serious. Her behavior was a bit childish, but her eyes were too sharp. Somewhere in her emerald depths lied cold calculating and it threw off her innocent look. 

            Kagome decided to be wary. This world was too unknown for her to trust even the most innocent looking child, "What's your name?"

            The girl whirled around making the rim of her kimono rise. Pensively she looked at the branches, "My name is Destiny. Yes, that is my name."

            _'She is a bit odd.'_

            "Destiny" Kagome smiled, "That's a pretty name."

            She nodded vigorously, "Some people nickname me Fate."

            Kagome squeezed out her jacket, "That's cute. Why aren't you at home?"

            Destiny shrugged, "I'm supposed to be here."

            "But the storm is quite dangerous" the woman insisted, "You should be inside."

            She shook her head, her black locks slapping her face, "No, I am where I should be."

            "Waiting for your parents" the time traveler completed, "Where did they go?"

            "Nowhere actually" she replied and hopped over to Kagome. Grinning sweetly the girl asked, "Shouldn't you be looking for your friends? There probably worried."

            Why was she avoiding the subject of her parents?

            "Perhaps" Kagome agreed, "But I just can't leave you by yourself."

            The girl looked out into the storm, "Don't worry. This is where I need to be."

            What was with this child? Kagome slowly rose off the tree root and knelt before the girl. She didn't care that her knees were in mud. More mud wouldn't change their appearance. The maiden stared intently into the girl's young face, "Why do you _need_ to be here?"

            Automatically Destiny burst into giggles, "Do you want to know?"

            The woman smiled. The girl's face was so pretty with laughter. Kagome nodded, "Will you please tell me?"

            Destiny leaned forward and cupped her warm hands around the priestess's ear, "It's a secret."

            She jumped back and spun merrily. Kagome shook her head unsure whether to be angered or be humored. What was it about this girl that made Kagome's guard drop?

            "You best go before your friends worry" the child proclaimed. 

            "Yes, of course" she replied, "but I don't know where they are and I don't know where I am."

            Quietly she turned around and faced the older maiden, "Neither matters. What matters is which way you should head."

            Destiny stepped out into the rain ignoring Kagome's plea to return. The beautiful child lifted her hand and pointed in a nameless direction, "You should head that way. Go that way and you shall rejoin your friends."

            Kagome stared at the girl her breathe quickening. The girl's sudden emotionless expression frightened her. It was a look she had seen throughout the last years. It was a look that demanded an obedience of the viewer. 

            That face was not an expression a child should ever own.

            Destiny smiled, an empty smile, one that did not sparkle her eyes, "You can take that road if you like, but know its danger. That road leads to the mountain's darkness, where you and your companions were headed."

            "How do you know that?" Kagome gasped her eyes wide. 

            The girl's voice became full and vast echoing throughout the woman's mind, "Beware priestess for this road is remorseless and it shall bring about the climax of that which surrounds you."

            After the echoes had faded the girl broke away into a run towards the direction she had been pointing to. Kagome leapt to her feet and chased after the girl, "DESTINY!"

            The woman used ever skill she had gotten from her P.E. class and followed the blurring form before her. If that girl stayed out in this storm she would likely get hurt or ill. The rain speared the woman's eyes and she ran blind to direction, "Destiny!"

            Shapes slipped and ran together in a puddle as Kagome's limbs grew tired. 

            Where had the girl disappeared to? She couldn't have out run her?

            Kagome's shoes slide through the mud and she whipped out her hands. In seconds she was slapped into the mud, down onto her right side

            The earth's blood seeped into her clothes. Cold swept through her bones. Groaning she got to her knees and wiped the mud off her face with the back of her hand. 

            _'I am not even going to ask whether this day could get any worse.'_

            Automatically an imaginary drill began to rotate into her forehead. Kagome winced at the impact, "What's that?"

            She got to her feet and stared at the empty downpour. Her eyes narrowed, _'Shards. I feel shards.'_

            Ignoring the cold rain and the loud thunder overhead Kagome strode forward following the tingle in her spirit. She forgot that she was soaked and that she had lost track of the young girl. Her heart was hammering when she realized the sensation was growing more intense. 

            Only one person had so many jewel shards.

            Her feet froze as she noticed several forms approaching. Immediately she reached for the bow behind her back. Kagome grew frantic when she didn't feel the familiar quiver holding her arrows and bow. 

            _'There in my bag. The bag Inuyasha was holding for me.'_

            Her heart froze as a center figure came into focus. Holding every ounce of fear in her soul back, the woman whispered, "Naraku."

            The recognizable baboon pelt stepped forward out of the mist, "Finally my prey has been found." 

Kagome tensed and stared into the empty eye sockets of her enemy, "I should have guessed you were here. You always are the one responsible."

Gradually the other forms behind him became identifiable. Kagura, Kanna, and Kohaku stood in a formatted line of soldiers. Her eyes swept over their faces. Each of their poisoned heart was ready to obey his wicked desires and that notion consumed her with grief. Every one of his minions had been somehow manipulated into submission. She could almost see the links wrapped around their wrists. 

"I am quite pleased with Kagura's effectiveness to separate you from your traveling party" the demon king's dark whisper woke her from the pensive distraction, "This way we shall not be interrupted."

_'Stay on your toes, girl. You are definitely in the loin's den.'_

            "I don't care if I am alone and unarmed, Naraku. I won't just hand the shards to you" Kagome shouted defiantly at his masked face.  

            A wicked laugh rattled her skeleton, "The shards are one reason why I have brought you to me, but if that had been the only reason I would just have already killed you and claimed their ownership."

            She took a hesitant step back, "Then what is it? What else could you want from me?"

            Utter blackness filled overhead and the puddles splattered faintly around them. Naraku took a step forward his fur coat dragging through the mud, "I have discovered your secret, little one."

            What on earth was he talking about?

            "Secret?" Kagome floundered. 

            She watched a smirk overtake the visible part of the demon's face, "It took me almost four years to understand, but I recently discovered exactly who you are."

            He had known for quite a while that she was the reincarnation of Kikyo, so what could he have possible found—

            _'Oh, my God!'_

            By this point Kagome was ready to bolt. If he knew who she was then. . . 

            She didn't dare finish the thought as panic enveloped her heart. Foolishly, she turned tail and raced back the way she had come. She had one foot in the air when she felt the metal chain wrapped around her grounded foot. Her hands shot out when her ankle was jerked backwards, lurching her forward. Kagome slammed painfully into the ground. She frantically got to her knees and reached for her tied ankle. Her hands had barely brushed the sickle's handle when Kohaku again pulled on the chain dragging her through the mud. Fighting in distress her fingers yanked at the tight metal links. She began to shake as she was pulled into the shadow of the powerful demon creature. 

            The empty eye sockets of the baboon's face stared down at her. Looking into the darkness within the animal mask Kagome could see a pair of wicked eyes gleaming. Naraku smiled forebodingly, "I wasn't surprise years ago when I discovered you were Kikyo's reincarnation. Seeing the familiarity in your faces is obvious to anyone."

            "However" he stepped closer causing her to fight the chain again, "I was surprise to realize you did not belong in this time."

            _'Please, no.'_

            Kagome glared at him, "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

            "I never took you for much of a liar, Higurashi" his voice spoke smugly. 

            She drug herself backwards, her fears growing worse with each word. How could he possibly know? Perhaps he had seen her go through the Bone Eaters well, or heard her speak of her time. 

            "It took me all this time to figure out why you appeared so different from others" his voice was a sinister seduction bringing her into a frozen trance. Kagome subconsciously comprehended a spell stopping her movement, but her entire focus was on the purples eyes staring down at her. 

            "Your clothes told me in an instant you were different" he spoke just above a whisper, "The day I saw you I knew you were related to Kikyo. It wasn't until I spoke to dead priestess did I know for certain that you were her reincarnation."

            She began to see beyond his eyes. Kagome could see endless demon spirits intertwining together. She blinked rapidly trying to wake herself.

            "My curiosity peaked each time we crossed paths" he continued, "It didn't take long for me to decide I needed someone to follow you, so I sent one of my poisonous wasps."

            She tried to move. Every ounce of energy went out to her limbs trying to circulate the blood. Kagome sensed her right hand drag an inch back, but it refused to go further. 

            "I was quite confused when my scout kept returning to tell me you had vanished into a stone well, a well I first saw you at."

            _'Move, Kagome!'_

            "I waited. I could not follow myself or else Inuyasha would be aware of my presence. I never got the chance."

            Her breath trembled into the rain and became visible. He hadn't completely immobilized her. The internal organs were still pumping enough to keep her alive. Kagome was sure if he wanted to he could stop the beat of her heart. 

            "Kanna's mirror was the only force able to show you in the act of disappearing to some unknown place. What I could never figure out was where you disappeared to."

            Unexpectedly his hand jumped out from under the white cloak and wrapped around the young reincarnated woman's neck. Kagome tried to suck in the free air, but her windpipe was closed off. 

            The weight of the demon's body pushed her backwards. Her head hit the ground again and spots fluttering into her eyesight. Gasping, Kagome tried to regain her movement, else she would suffocate. 

            His hand squeezed, "Now, you can imagine my frustration when I tried countless times to discover your dwelling. It wasn't until you left the last time that I learned the truth. I learned you don't belong in this time."

            Her eyes became unfocused and she no longer could decipher the people surrounding her. Carefully she spoke trying to save her energy, "H-how?"

            "Although the shikon jewel has been shattered every piece is connected. With the help of Kanna's mirror and the connection between the shards I was able to see everywhere you went" he replied arrogantly, "When you passed through the well the reflection became distorted, but after weeks of watching I learned all that was necessary."

            She needed air. 

            Kagome was floating, but her body remained on the ground. 

            "Now" Naraku spoke louder knowing she had grown distant, "I want to know how I can travel to your time."

            Everything stopped. 

            All the horrors, nightmares, and fears Kagome had ever dreamed crashed down into that one moment. He couldn't possibly be thinking about traveling to her time.

            "WELL?"

            Blood dripped down from her nose as her face took on a blue tinge. She forced her eyesight to focus on the monster's face. Choking on the lack of air the priestess sputtered out, "Go to Hell."

            Fury filled the demon's eyes and he shoved her further into the mud, "You dare to push my patience?"

            By this time, Kagome had lost all sense of reality. Everything behind Naraku became black and white. His grip was the only sensation hitting her nerves. Even his stone grip felt like rubber at that moment.

            _'Where are you, Inuyasha? You always come when I need you.'_

            As she lost all feeling in her body Kagome's only thought was how for once her beloved had failed to save her. 


	4. Second Wind

~ All characters from the Inuyasha anime series are not my creation, but everything is my own original writing so to copy any is plagiarism! ~

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings1

Chapter 4 ~ Second Wind

            Miroku swung his staff against Kanna's mirror knocking it aside. A white blur flung by her and Kagome gasped as she was launched upwards. Her head limply fell back and the rain splattered against her face. Her eyelids fluttered open and for a moment she caught a glimpse of lightning flashing. 

            "Kagome!"

            So confuse.

            She blacked out again.

___________________________

            Her head was pounding. Steadily her hand reached for her forehead. 

            _'Where's the aspirin?'_

            "KAGOME!"

            "Don't talk too loud?" she muttered painfully.

            Slowly she opened her eyes and saw the ground several hundred feet below her hanging feet. Kagome swallowed nervously. 

            Carefully she looked down to see a brown tentacle held her. Following the offensive appendage she realized she was, naturally, the captive of Naraku. His focus momentarily was on the ground. Glancing downwards she saw her family plus a wolf pack fighting Kagura, Kanna, and Kohaku. 

            Kagome trembled in the demon's grip. Her body was weak from her prior black out. Her focus wavered again. _'Stay awake.'_

            "Kagome!"

            That voice was either Kouga's or Inuyasha's. Either of their concern was welcomed. 

            "They can't save you," her enemy snarled.

            Kagome's energy grew at that comment, "I doubt your fight with them will be so easy."

            Naraku turned to her and she glared into his eyes. Surrounded by the pulsing tentacles sprouting from under his cloak it was obvious this monster was nothing by one of his dolls. Naraku's doll smirked, "I don't think you give me enough credit."

            Automatically a tentacle shot towards the ground narrowly missing Inuyasha and Kouga. The priestess swallowed as she noticed both were having a difficult time avoiding the attacks. Sango and Kilala were busy trying to fight Kohaku without hurting him, or getting themselves hurt. Kagura was fighting the entire wolf pack and Miroku along with Shippo were trying to keep Kanna away from her mirror. 

            She saw him below. He was chopping off tentacles in a desperate frenzy to reach her, but it did no good. More limbs appeared and blocked him. His eyes stayed on her nearly the entire time. She could see his fear and concern. 

            How did they find her?

            What had happened while she was unconscious?

            Another strike followed this time directed at Sango. The huntress jumped backwards and flung her boomerang at her predator. Naraku's limb was sliced off from the giant weapon, but soon two new appendages grew from the nub. 

            "Leave them alone!" Kagome shouted desperately. Even if this was only a doll and would be easier to defeat than Naraku, it still held dangers towards the ones she cared for. 

            "Your fight is with me, Naraku!" she roared trying to gain his attention from her family, "Don't let them be involved."

            The dark lord cackled. His laughter sent a chill down the woman's spine, "Oh, but you are wrong! My fight has a greater range than one individual."

            "What are you talking about?!" she glowered. Her head hurt and she was in no mood for one of his riddles. 

            He grinned, revealing fangs, "My fight lies with your time" 

            Her eyes grew wide as her fears became founded, "No. What could my time offer?!"

            Darkness shattered behind him swallowing the rainy atmosphere. 

            "A world with no protection" he began, "A place where no one can dare oppose me. I see a world with slaves ready to be owned!"

            Kagome pushed viciously against the monster's grip. She would not allow him to ever reach her time. Souta, her mother, gramps, all of them would be endangered. She had no bow. She had no arrow.         

            Her head flung backwards as he squeezed his grip on her. The bones in her body creaked under the stress. Kagome inhaled sharp. She didn't believe he would kill her at the moment. He didn't understand how to get on the other side of the well. He still needed her.

            She opened her eyes and watched her friends battle for her life. Kagome saw Inuyasha crash to the ground. Blood was dripping from his right arm. They were running out of energy. Soon Naraku would gain the upper hand.

            "Join me, Higurashi."

            She grounded her teeth trying to ignore the growing pressure on her fragile skeleton, "Why would you even expect me to join you?!"

            The monkey snout brushed against her ear, "The question is how many friends I would have to kill?" 

            Kagome pushed as hard as she could, "NO!"

Heat bubbled in her chest and she jerked as the turmoil rammed the walls of her heart. The love she felt for her two families surged outwards and raked her body. Waves of emotions fell into a sea. Kagome sunk to the bottom, unsure which way would led her to the surface. She began to panic as she faced the threat of her families' death. Her mind collapsed. 

Kagome ripped her head back and her throat widened in a tormented screech. Volcano hit struck her chest. In the same moment a pink aura surrounded the maiden's body freezing the battle. Pressure spiked, but this time it was within her body. Her temples throbbed pounding louder than the surrounding thunder. Warmth swirled down her arm and swelled in her fingertips. Sweat dripped off her nose as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. 

            Naraku's doll scowled beneath the mask. He didn't understand what she was doing. No one did.

            Inuyasha took a step forward as he saw the young woman writher in pain. In a frantic whisper the man reached out for the maiden, "Kagome."

            She could see her family back in modern times flashing inside her head. Souta was playing another video game while grandpa swept the shrine. Inuyasha swallowed a mouthful of ramen while Sango hit Miroku for getting fresh. Consumed by the primal instinct to defend her family, or in this case her families, Kagome lost herself in the dilution. 

            Her arms stretched outwards trying to release the anguish in her bones. Screeching in pain pink light ripped from Kagome's palm and crashed into the monkey face. Abruptly the vice hold on her disappeared along with Naraku's puppet. Immediately she felt gravity grab her legs and tug her downwards. Exhaustion hit the woman and she allowed herself to drop into fatigued sleep. She could no longer fight.

______________________

            "Wake up, Kagome!" 

            The sound was warm coaxing her back. Pain rubbed against her throwing her back to the darkness. 

            "Please, Kagome, open your eyes!"

            The voice was pleading trying to drag the priestess into the light that stung her eyes. She flinched. The torturous sun exploded pain inside her brain. 

            Kagome gradually regained sensations in her limbs and involuntarily whimpered. Aches began to flare throughout her consciousness, but those were nothing compared to the intense torment burning her hand. 

            The woman screamed in agony and curled into a fetal position, hand carefully tucked to her chest. She heard several people speaking at once, each bustling about her. 

            As seconds ticked away into minutes the sounds faded and again Kagome entered empty space. Coldness tingled down her limbs and she was swept under artic waves. 

            "Wake up, Higurashi Kagome."

            The dazed woman reached out trying to pull herself out of the cold pit. Who was that?

            "Wake up. You need to return to them."

            A clock ticked in the background. Its deep echo bellowed to the far reaches. 

            "You don't belong here, Kagome."

            The woman involuntarily flinched away from this new person. That sentence had hit a sore spot. It reminded her of her time-traveling experience. 

            "WAKE UP!"

            Kagome lost her focus as something slam into her. 

______________________

            Light hit her. Kagome grimaced at the sudden contrast. 

            Groaning she rolled away from the sun and opened her eyes to the shadows. Kagome gazed at the wood grains that sat in her view. Gradually her eyesight expanded and she noticed figures' shadows danced over the wall. 

            _'I'm alive.'_

            Was it a question or a statement? She could not be sure.

            _'Where am I?'_

            A better thought to contemplate was one she could answer.

            She carefully rolled onto her back. Her entire body felt tender and she knew if she moved too fast she might get a painful surprise. 

            Kagome smiled as she saw she was in a cabin full of familiar faces. Her face, though tired, broke into a warm glow. Giving a small smile the woman whispered hoarsely a quaint, "Hello."

            Inuyasha and Sango were closest to her. Both were hunching over her with different herbs at their feet. Kouga was leaning over the demon huntress's shoulder, probably preferred her to the dog demon. The wolf pack, Miroku, and Shippo sat on the other side of a small fire. All eyes were on her and each pair was filled with concern. 

            The air was warm and inviting, not to mention the sweet smell of roasted meat made an empty stomach eager. After hearing the woman's soft greeting the room exhaled and immediately relaxed. 

            Sango brushed a heated, wet rag over the girl's brow, "You had us all a little worried. You have been unconscious for over half a day, Kagome."

            "What?!" the priestess lurched into a sitting position, and automatically fell back on her sleeping bag, "Ugh."

            She felt his large arms catch her before she hit the pillow. His rough voice spoke softly, "Watch yourself. Your body is still healing."

            Kagome looked into his eyes. He looked as if he hadn't gotten any sleep. How long had she been separated from them? How long had she been unconscious? He must have been worried sick about her.

            Throbbing startled her and she immediately cradled her bound hand. Kagome stared at the pink bandages surprised. Her memory was a bit fuzzy, but she remembered destroying Naraku's puppet. 

            Without hesitation she began to undo the wraps. Several of friends pleaded with her to quit. She knew her hand was injured – for god's sake – she could feel it. Kagome pulled away the last bandage and stared in awe at the raw flesh. There was not an inch of her palm that wasn't red. Already her skin was trying to grow back over the giant wound, but it would take a week or so before it would be completely healed over. 

The air brushed over her palm and she winced at the sting. She could barely move her fingers without being jolted by torture. 

Sango crawled closure to the injured maiden and began to wrap fresh bandages over the hand. Kagome turned to Inuyasha, "What happened while I was out? How did you all find me?"

His eyes were staring at her hand. He looked a bit guilty. 

"We stumbled upon you and Naraku some time yesterday evening, just a night short of when we were separated" he replied, "We had been searching since the wind had died. When we arrived you were unconscious and Kanna was doing something with her mirror. You were screaming in your sleep and of course we came to help."

Kagome flinched as Sango tucked in the end of the bandage. The priestess slowly stretched her hand feeling the stiffness. Without her hand she would be unable to use her bow. Crap.

Returning back to her partner she wondered something, "What exactly had Kanna being doing with the mirror?"

"Can't say" Miroku replied in place of the hanyou, "She wasn't try to steal your soul. She was holding the mirror over your chest, but the mirror was faced to her."

Kagome stared at the fire. Had Kanna been trying to look into her thoughts? Kanna was probably searching for the answer to the well. 

"After that?" she inquired.

Kouga took a turn speaking, "You woke during the battle, Kagome. Somehow you shot a ray of light and destroyed Naraku's doll. His followers left the moment it was broken."

Did Naraku find out? Did he know how to breach the well?

Kagome began breathing fast. Looks were exchanged in concern.

            The young woman jumped to her feet pushing out of the demon's arms. Her knees buckled immediately. Inuyasha and Sango caught her, and now everyone was on their feet.

            "Stop wiggling, wench" the dog man growled in her ear, "You are in no condition to be moving about."

            Kagome grew dizzy, but she continued to fight their arms, "We have to find Naraku!"

            "Don't worry, Kagome" her sister tried to calm her, "We still have our part of the shards. He never took them."

            Shadows crept into her eyesight as she felt her strength disappear. Tears sprung to her eyes, as Kagome pleaded, "No Not the shards."

            Inuyasha scowled, "What do you mean not the shards?"

            Her body went limp in his arms as she whispered, "The well. The well."

______________________

            The next time her eyes opened only Sango and Inuyasha were there to greet her. The others had gone to sleep outside the broken shack. The rain had long since passed. 

            Kagome stared at the two feeling drained and frightened, "How long?"

            "Only a few hours" Sango replied while handing her a bowl of stew. The priestess eagerly accepted the meal, but she dropped the entire contents as soon as the wood touched her hand. 

            "Sorry" Kagome muttered through tears of pain.

            "No, I should have remembered your hand" the huntress replied while cleaning up the mess. As another bowl was prepared Inuyasha came to Kagome's side. She looked up at him and saw the hurt lying in his golden orbs. He felt responsible. He had not protected her. 

            Kagome smiled softly and shook her head. It was the same response when she got hurt. Silently she told him it was not his fault that her side was torn and her arms were scratched. He looked away with a sad face. 

            "Kagome?" Sango called the woman.

            She turned to her sister, "Yes?"

            They had been lost in their concern for several hours waiting for their dearest friend to wake. Inuyasha had, as expected, refused to leave her side. The others had waited all the previous night before her first wake and could no longer deny sleep. Regretfully, they succumbed to their mortal need and slept. Sango was use to the lack of sleep from her training and thus stayed by her sister's side.

            During those four hours they had been on the edge of their seats. Both were anxious to understand why Kagome had panicked earlier. 

            "Why did you freak out earlier?" Sango asked innocently, "And why were you talking about the well?" 

            Kagome immediately went rigid and her eyes swiveled to the door. She needed to get to the well. She needed to stop Naraku. 

            "Kagome?"

            She had to get the shards from him, or better yet kill him. 

            "Kagome?"

            But what could she do? She was injured and exhausted. All he had to do was swat slap her arm and she would crumble.

            "Kagome!"

            She gasped, "Yes?"

            Inuyasha and Sango were both inches from her. The woman had momentarily looked ready to bolt out the door. Sango wrapped an arm over the maiden's battered shoulders, "What is it? What's wrong?"

            That did it.

            Kagome broke into sobs, shoving her face into her good hand, "Naraku. Naraku knows."

            "Don't cry, Kagome" Inuyasha growled softly, growing very uncomfortable with her tears. He could never take her crying. She didn't deserve the heartache.

            "Calm down, Kagome. Everything is going to be alright" Sango tried to calm her.

            "NO!" the time traveler yelled in a broken sob, "You don't get it! Naraku knows who I am! He knows where I'm from."

            Okay, that was new. 

            Inuyasha scowled, "What are you trying to say?"

            The priestess went limp, "He knows I travel through the Bone Eater's Well. He wants to go to my time and take over."

            "What?"

            Her tears pooled on the floor, "He discovered this by following us and also using Kanna's mirror. He captured me to find out how exactly I travel through the well."

            Kagome struggled against her injuries and stood, "I don't know the extent of Kanna's abilities, but if she was able to see into my mind she might understand how the well is used."

            Fisting her good hand Kagome wobbled towards the door, "I refuse to let him even go near the well."

            In seconds she was falling and in less than a minute she was in his arms. Kagome frowned as she was cradled tenderly, _'Darn, this weak body of mine.'_

             "You are in no condition to fight, wench" he snarled, lifting her into his strong arms, "Even if you were in top shape you would never stand a chance."

            Feebly she pushed aside his arms her eyes locked on the door, "I don't care!"

            Her eyes were filled with tears as she zigzagged across the room, "I'm responsible for the well. I was the one who created the portal so I am its protector."

            "Kagome, please let us help you" Sango grabbed the girl's arm, "We'll never let you fight by yourself, besides all of us have a score to settle with Naraku. We would never forgive you if you did him in without our help."

            Smiling through her weary eyes Kagome dropped a hand on the huntress's shoulder. How was she blessed with such devoted friends?

            "Thank you" she whispered trying to hide the shake in her voice, "Why don't you go get the others so we discuss a strategy."

            The woman nodded and rushed outside. As soon as the door closed Kagome's knees buckled and Inuyasha caught her once more, "How bad is it?"

            She rubbed her brow, "How would you measure a throbbing hand, a burning side, an aching body, and a slamming headache?"

            He generously brought her back to the mat, "I think I measure it worthy of a nap."

            "No, no! There's no time for naps" she hissed, "I've been unconscious for hours! We've lost too much time as it is. Naraku could already be through the well!"

            Again she shot towards the door ignoring the pains electrifying through her nerves. In seconds a force whipped her by the wrist. Her nose brushed his, as his amber eyes glared, "You are not leaving this hut."

            The tone was low, slightly intimidating, but she was use to his tactics. His anger was the way of covering up his true emotions. He was worried. 

            She knew he was. She had learned that, but she was too anxious at that moment. So of course, she blew things out of proportion. Tears swelled in her fire lit eyes, "Don't order me to do that, Inuyasha!"

"You'll get yourself killed," he yelled. Her wrist slipped from his hand.

"I won't let my time suffer just to save me!" she shouted her heart screaming in passion. He stared at her wishing against she did not believe that. Determination reflected in her tears and Inuyasha's jaw locked. 

She was holding the same look.

            He had vowed to never let her have that expression on her face. He wanted to protect her from it. Behind that look there was an obsession – actually it was more of a suicidal desire – to stop Naraku.

            Members of their shard-hunting group had surrendered to the bitter insanity. One by one they were tested and they fell into the monster's pit allowing him to pull the strings. He had herded them into the corners he wanted. Now they were all bound to a destiny to end Naraku's reign. Never would they rest until he was dead.

Kagome Higurashi was not meant for that fate and thus, her second family had sought to keep her virgin of the filthy path. For a while, it had worked. Naraku had no pursuit of breaking a spirit he did not know. 

When he became aware she was a friend that was when his attention focused on her. Attacks were placed against her and she was captured a few times. When it was discovered her relationship to the dead miko, Kikyo, everything was thrown into new perspective. To have his full revenge, he needed to break this new woman. 

            All he needed was to know her history, and then he would realize how to break her.

            And now he knew.


	5. Looking Into the Mirror

~ I do not own the characters off of the anime series _Inuyasha, but everything else is mine. SOOOOO copying anything of mine is plagiarism! ~_

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings

Chapter 5 ~ Looking Into the Mirror 

            Kagome pulled the black leather glove over her bandaged hand. She winced as the leather rubbed against the gauze, but soon she became accustomed to the irregular pressure. Slowly she curled her fingers testing the feel. 

            Oh, was it sore.

            Carefully she picked up the bow in her hand. At least it didn't hurt that bad. Her palm was tender, yet it felt better behind the glove. 

            Next she picked up her jacket and pushed her arm through the first sleeve. Her jaw locked. She refused to cry. She was not some baby. 

            Besides they wouldn't let her go if they knew just how much pain she was in. 

            With her jacket now on, the girl tentatively pulled the strap of her quiver over her head. When the leather rubbed her back she nearly cried out loud. Her back was on fire. 

            Blinking back the tears the priestess stood straight and tall. Quietly she picked up her bow with her gloved hand. She bit her lip. Without hesitation she tightened her grip on the bow. Her hand howled in anguish unable to stand the pressure. Tears sprung and unfortunately she could not hold them back. 

            She slammed her good hand against the wall. Why was she so weak?! She was always the one who needed help, who needed saving. Everyone was so much stronger than her. Sure she had talent, but it wasn't in physical strength. She was always the damsel. 

            There were times when she went to save someone else, but what good was she. When it came time for the fight she was the one protected. 

            Kagome sniffed, _'I need to calm down. I'm too emotional right now with everything going on.'_

            It was decided they would head towards the well. They could only pray that Naraku had yet to figure out that the shards were the key to traveling through the well. 

            It had taken quite longer to decide whether she was allowed to come or not. She was still far from healed and no one wanted to place her in more danger. Of course, to leave her behind was even worse. If Naraku didn't know how to enter the well he would come for her again. Without them she would easily be taken.

            After another few hours of convincing them she was suitable for travel they had separated to pack. 

Painfully Kagome stretched trying to relax her body. As her joints popped she let out a sigh.

Was she a pebble? She felt like one. She didn't belong in the shoe and she was becoming more of a hindrance every step of the way.

Angrily she shook her head, _'Stop it. Your letting everything get to you.'_

Sucking in a deep breath she straightened her shoulders and step out into the clearing. The fire was dowsed and the camp was clean. Everyone was standing at the door talking amongst themselves. Once she had opened the door the conversations had died and she was left to stare at them. 

Automatically she put on a fake smile, _'Don't let them see.'_

"Lets get going" Kagome jogged forward and grabbed Miroku and Inuyasha's elbows, "Every moment counts."

Sango ran up to the priestess's side, "Kagome, are you sure you can handle this?"

_'You make it sound like I normally couldn't.'_

The woman didn't show her vulnerability through the toothy grin, "Don't worry. I feel a lot better now. All that matters now is Naraku."

They watched the girl trot ahead, Kilala and Shippo running beside her. Sango glanced at the white haired demon and saw his worry. Kagome was obviously covering up her pain. Only a few hours ago she had been passed out. 

What could they do to stop her though? 

_________________________________

            Kagome tried to keep quite as she panted. At the moment she was ahead of everyone. She didn't want to fall behind or they might find reason to stop. It had already been several hours since they had started out. They didn't have time for rest! The well was at least two nights away, possibly five if they kept stopping to rest. She would have to set the pace. 

            She inhaled sharply as she stumbled over a tree root. She hoped they didn't really notice. Kagome shifted her quiver and took off jogging once more. 

            The wind blew quietly and the clouds rolled overhead in a dark shadow. A storm brewed, but showed no visibly life. Perhaps if there was a storm still brewing Naraku had yet to leave this time period. The darkness seemed to follow him. 

            There was so little time.

            What a joke. Here she was a woman who could go from past to present in a heartbeat and yet she still fought time's limits. She had no power to control time; she could only use it. 

            Was she just using time? Was she abusing it?

            She had never initially meant to time warped, but once she did she could not refuse taking more trips to the past, a time that had yet to meet her presence. Maybe at first her trips were her responsibility of regaining the shards of the jewel she broke, but after a while the trips became visits. She could not keep her heart away from there. Because of her visits she had burrowed her way into people's lives. 

            Once there she found a belonging in the path she now walked. She didn't want to live in a façade. She couldn't bear to face her life back in the present. Meaningless relationships and pointless desires made up her time. She did love her home there and her family, but beyond the shrine it was without direction, without purpose. 

            _'I sound like some cheesy movie.'_

Gosh, her side was beginning to burn. 

            "Kagome, wait!"

            Immediately she stopped and glanced over her shoulder, "What is it?"

            Inuyasha was sniffing the air, all demons behind him doing the same. His gold eyes narrowed on the shadowy forest ahead, "Something is nearby."

            A roar bellowed further up the path making everyone stiffen. It sounded big. 

            Kagome immediately whipped out her bow her hand already setting her arrow. 

            _'No time.'_

            She blew a strand of hair from her eyes and aimed the shadows in front of her. Inuyasha and Kouga were hurrying to her side when another howl rattled from the left. Both demons slid to a halt and faced the new direction. Kagome changed her aim, and bit the inside of her cheek. 

            She wondered what they were facing. It was most likely a demon. 

            Now a growl came from behind. Sango faced the rear, her boomerang ready.

            "Is it more than one?" the demon hunter shouted.

            Miroku scowled, "No, I think its just one. It's trying to find a weakness in our defenses."

            "Brothers" Kouga turned to his pack, "Protect your sister."

            The wolf-men nodded and surrounded Kagome. She scowled, but kept quite, _'Don't waste your strength on me.'_

            Over the next few minutes growls and roars erupted from the shadows each time from a different location. Inuyasha kept changing his position upon each sound, always keeping himself between it and her. Nerves were on edge as sweat beaded everyone's face. Nervously the priestess sought for a jewel shard hoping to reveal their predator, but it was vain hope. 

            "It's playing with us" Inuyasha hissed.

            _'It's trying to stall us' Kagome flinched, _'Darn it! Naraku is trying to reach the well before we get there._'_

            Without hesitating, the priestess broke from the protective enclosure of her comrades and raced towards the trees. Inuyasha and Kouga were after her in moments, "Kagome! What are you doing?!"

            She growled at the menacing darkness and kept her arrow lowered. Her eyes tried to penetrate the empty blackness, _"Show yourself or I will just keep going towards the well."_

            Whatever was hiding from their eyes took instant notice of her break and burst from the treetops directly at her. Kagome swung her bow and shot her arrow. The whirling pink comet shot upwards heading straight for the land dragon's heart, but in the last moment the demon dodged. His shadow washed over the priestess as he fell to the ground. Kagome pushed off to the side, just narrowly missing the dragon's heavy claws. The woman rolled several feet through mud tried to gain some distance. Biting her lip in pain, she quickly stood while favoring her injured side. 

            The dragon lurched forward giving her only a scant heartbeat to jump out of the way. Kagome ducked as his tail swung over her head. Looking up she saw Inuyasha falling from the air his sword blaring gold. Kouga landed in front of her snarling at the giant lizard. Her shoulders went slack. 

            They were taking over the battle, and when that happened it didn't take long to end. The dragon screeched as his body was halved. His life snuffed out as he gave a final whimper. He had failed.

            Blood polluted the air as the corpse collapsed to the mud. Sango grinned, "Nice job, Inuyasha. It only took one hit."

            The white haired demon ignored the complement and stomped over to the priestess. Kagome lifted her chin prepared. His face shoved into hers as he shouted, "What were you doing, you stupid girl?"

            "I was trying to lure out the demon" she hissed angrily, "It didn't plan on unveiling itself any time soon. I took the risk. You didn't need to come to my aid."

            "Well you sure needed it" he hollered, "You almost were killed!"

            Kagome frowned at him and kept her chin from trembling. Steaming to the brim the woman turned on her heel and stomped on down the path, much to the shock of the group. Kouga scowled at Inuyasha, "Keep your tongue, mutt. That is no way to speak to my mate."

            "SHE IS NOT YOUR MATE!" the dog yelled in the wolf's face, "And she will _never be your mate!"_

            Kouga glared at his rival, "If you are not going to stake a claim for her, than shut up, dog. You hold no room for argument."

            The hanyou flinched his face shocked by the comment. Silently he glanced at the priestess, who was staring sadly at the quarreling duo. In a flash, she spun and began running towards the well. She ignored the pain running through her body and she ignored the requests pleading with her to stop. 

            He didn't mean it like that.

            She knew he didn't. 

            But it hurt. 

            Her heart accepted what she believed, but never her head. 

            He would never admit it. He would never say it.

            _'He loves me.'_

            After a few minutes her pain slammed into her lungs and she slowed to a walk. Angrily she bit her lower lip. It was her fault, not his. Long ago she had chosen the path she was to walk, by his side, but never with him. 

            She kept walking glove pressed against her wet face, _'I just never thought it would be so hard.'_

            _'Every moment reminds me of my vow. I beat myself up so much every time I'm reminded of it. How could I accept just being there unable to savor in his affection? Then I look and see him. I know. I know why I let it.'_

_            'I love him.'_

            Kagome pulled back her hand and saw red pants, _'Inuyasha.'_

            Slowly her eyes traveled up the pant legs meeting a pale face. The priestess gave a familiar response and recoiled instantaneously, "Kikyo."


	6. Face the Music

~ Blah, Blah, blah – don't own Inuyasha characters – blah, blah, and blah – don't copy or else plagiarism. ~

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings

Chapter 6 ~ Face the Music

            They stared at one another with eyes that were identical in color, yet contrasted in emotion. Kagome shifted nervously under the older woman's gaze. A burning fire meeting a frozen iceberg. 

            Was Kikyo here as another distraction sent by Naraku?

            Kagome cringed at her next thought. Was she here to see Inuyasha? The younger miko's voice had faded from her throat. What could she say to her mirror? 

            "What are you doing here?" the time traveler whispered. 

            The dead priestess stepped forward and Kagome kept herself from stepping back. She didn't dare show her anxiety. Her ancestor looked deep into her eyes as if trying to pull away the flesh to see into the soul they shared. 

            Kikyo nodded slightly, out of respect, "Kagome."

            The younger maiden shifted to her other foot nervously, remembering their last encounter with each other. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            _The arrow glared at her ready to take the time traveler's life._

_            "He promised himself to me before my death, girl. Do not live in some pointless fantasy that he will give his heart to you when it had already been promised." _

_            Kagome pushed herself off the ground. Her hand applied pressure where the arrow had penetrated her left arm. Blood dripped through her fingers as she shuddered in pain, "I use to live in that fantasy. Wistfully hoping my dreams were not imaginations."_

_            Wincing the girl got onto her knees, "However, when I saw the two of you three years ago embracing I could not accept he lacked in love for you. I fled unable to face my fear."  
            Her eyes squeezed shut, but the tears leaked out, mingling with the blood pouring from her head wound, "He loves you."_

_Her chin trembled, "I wish I could say it was misguided or in some way fake, but it is love shared between you."_

_Kikyo stared at her, her eyes still cold, "So you sought to persuade his love to you?"_

_"How could I woo him?" she sounded defeated, "He had chosen. The next day he told me his decision, he would stay with his promise to you. I would not try to stray him, nor would I be able to. He keeps his promises."_

_The bow lowered silently and the girl stood her eyes on the ground. Kikyo scrutinized the blood covered girl, "Then why stay with him if you know you cannot have him? Unless you don't truly love him."_

_Kagome stood cradling her bleeding arm, "I do love him, but I want to see him happy. After that I'll go back. I couldn't bear to watch him go on with you as I stood on the sidelines."_

_The reincarnated spirit turned away. Slowly she limped from her superior knowing she had yielded to the corpse. Stopping in mid-drag the girl sobbed, "Yet, I cannot leave doubting his happiness. As long as I know he's happy, I might be able to continue living."_

_She began walking again and muttered forlorn, "Maybe I'll find that someone destined for me, some other day."_

_Alone, in heart and in body, the time traveler trudged back to camp where her friends laid asleep. _

___________________________

            "Kikyo" someone breathed from behind the time traveler. Kagome knew they had caught up. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed him standing in the front of the group. His gold orbs were wide in shock focused on her mirror. 

            As he stepped forward heading towards the clay woman Kagome stepped back, her eyes downcast. As he brushed passed her, Kagome faded into the group. Sango and Miroku rushed to her side. Although things had been smoothed out between her and Kikyo the two women's relationship still held some friction. 

            "Kikyo, what is it?" Inuyasha held deep concern in his tone, "Why are you here?"

            Her cold eyes had long left their prior attention on her double and now were softly looking at the white dog man, "I came to help you."

            Kagome's heart constricted upon hearing those affectionate words, _'Of course, she's come to replace me. Why couldn't she do a better job?"_

"Who is that?" the Kouga asked his eyes studying Kikyo, "She looks just like Kagome." 

            Sango hugged the time traveler to her side, "That is the dead priestess, Kikyo, brought back from the dead."

            "From the dead" he muttered not too surprised. Strange things happened in this time period, a walking corpse wasn't impossible in his mind. Kouga glanced at his _mate, "But why does she look like Kagome? They're almost identical."_

            _'We're different.'_

Combing her sister's hair with long fingers, Sango replied, "She is Kikyo's reincarnation."

            "Help?" 

            Kagome looked up; Inuyasha was studying his dead love. He seemed bewildered with the woman, "I don't understand." 

            Kikyo shook her head irritably, "I'm here to help you, all of you, to stop Naraku. I gained knowledge of his new project and I understand how drastic this situation is."

            The girl found Kikyo's gaze locked on her. Silently the mirror spoke, _'I owe you. You stepped aside for our happiness.'_

            Feebly the youth rubbed her face into her sister's shoulder. She could barely stand the scenario unraveling. Her rival was coming to her rescue and her beloved was taking his place by her side. Could life bear her more heartache? If it did she dare say she would die.

            Years ago, she and Kikyo had called a truce. Kagome had left the protection of her sleeping teammates to follow a soul gather. She didn't want him seeing her again. Much to her unfortunate luck it had been a trap. Moments after running into a clearing, not far from camp, an arrow had buried itself in her arm. Next she was hit in the head with the butt of a bow. In a haze Kagome struggled to defend herself, but soon she was slick with blood and covered with red spots, that would later be bruises. It took only five minutes for a conversation to stop the ferocity between the two girls. 

            Kikyo, after three years, had decided to settle who Inuyasha's true love was. She had enough of seeing a double by her beloved's side. After hearing an old passionate claim, Kagome admitted to her rival she had given up chasing his heart. 

            After that night, they had kept a cold peace. 

            Of course, everyone was concern when Kagome came back batter and bleeding, but the time traveler never told what happened. She claimed it was something personal, and not even Sango was able to get it out of her.

            "Besides" Kikyo woke Kagome from her misery, "I still have to settle a few things with Naraku. I can't let all of you get in your share without mine."

            _'Nice cover. You also don't want them to understand why we had our truce.'_

            Everyone glanced at one another unsure how to take the news. One of their enemies was willing to help and neither Kagome, nor Inuyasha, was dismissing the idea. 

            Miroku spoke for the crowd, "Maybe we should keep moving and work everything out later."

________________________

            The fire didn't feel as warm. She stared silently deep into the curling orange. Another mouthful of ramen was spooned into her mouth, but her tongue was numb to the taste. Sango sat on her right, Miroku on her left, Shippo in her lap, and Inuyasha opposite of the fire. Usually it was the dog demon that flanked her side, but tonight it was her double that was granted with the grace of his company. 

            Where else would Kikyo sit? She was closest in heart with Inuyasha so it was natural for her to sit next to him. Wasn't it?

            No one spoke. The shard hunters were very uncomfortable with the newest arrival and thought it best to stay quiet. It was time for old arguments to start. Kouga and his pack were still too confuse and too aware of the tension to speak. They kept to the other fires cluttering the camp.

            The entire situation was bizarre. A corpse amongst the living, and then it was only a partial soul encased in mud. A clay body that had sought to kill everyone in their family was now sitting, having dinner with them. 

            She couldn't stand it. Kagome watched as they sat there. Perhaps they were silent and didn't even show recognition to the other, but she knew. They were several feet apart, yet she assumed there was desire for closeness between the two. 

            When they had all been running earlier she had kept her eyes on the duo. Before, Kagome had kept to the front of the group, but she had fell back do to her weakening strength, and concern for the couple. 

They kept near to each other, riding almost directly parallel. 

Maybe her mind was carrying her away, but she couldn't stop it. They were probably thinking of each other. How they missed the other. They were wishing to be alone.

            Kagome pushed her empty ramen container towards her bag and promptly stood. The small fox demon hopped from her lifting lap automatically. The ones surrounding her campfire looked up at her, but she diverted her eyes. Quietly she walked off into the forest, desperately wanting to bask in solitude. 

            She heard someone tried to follow her, she guessed it was Sango or Shippo, but Miroku whispered whomever to quit, "Let her be."

            _'Thanks, Miroku, but please don't worry about me. I don't like for all of you to worry.' _

            Kagome walked several yards away until she was far enough to be out of sight, but close enough to see the glow of the campfires, _'I promise not to go far.'_

She leaned against a tree trunk and turned her face to the stars. Every individual light twinkled creating the starry vastness. Was she like a star? Was she alone in a place of friends? 

            Answering her question, footsteps rustled behind her. It had barely been two minutes and already she had a visitor. She smiled knowing who it was. With a twinkle in her eye, Kagome turned to welcome the approaching figure. Sadly the sparkle died when she noticed it was not the hanyou, but the wolf demon.

            Kouga looked at her softly, overlooking the miko's disappointment, "What's the matter Kagome?"

            _'Great.'_

            "It's nothing" she replied turning her gaze again to the sky, "Thanks for worrying though."

            His heat warmed her side and his mouth opened next to her ear, "What is it about this new woman that bothers you?"

            Kagome stepped away from him, "It's personal."

            "She is Inuyasha's mate, isn't she?" he asked. Kagome could hear the smirk.

            She closed her eyes, "In a way, yes."

            When she opened her eyes he was standing in front of her. His eyes stared directly into hers. In an abrupt movement, surprising her, he cupped her cheek.

            "Kagome" he whispered fiercely, "I've never understood your relationship to that dog mutt. I had guessed you two were intimate."

            His other hand swept under her hair, between the shoulders, pressing her up to his chest, "Now I see."

            His nose burrowed into her ebony mane, "It was a childish crush."

            Her eyes stretched open, heart thudding loudly, _'What?'_

            "I guess when you met him you were smitten, but you were sixteen and young" he growled softly, never noticing how stiff she had gotten, "You've grown up, into a beautiful woman I might add. With this priestess coming into the picture it's a reminder your crush was only a crush. You feel foolish."

            _'It's not a crush!'_

            "Don't worry, my mate" he pulled back slightly, "You need not fear our love. It is genuine."

            _'Are you blind?! I do care for you, but it is not love.'_

            His face closed in, and Kagome froze. Gradually his intense eyes closed, "Kagome, please, see the truth. We are meant to be."

            She couldn't move as his lips pressed to hers. Her mind was going into overload. 

            _'It's not true. It's not some crush.'_

            His mouth moved over hers seeking her response. He was trying to coax her. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Was all she experienced in her heart just some illusion? Maybe it was Kouga she loved. She did worry about him. Her heart went out to him. Perhaps her _love for Inuyasha was just an obsession, an obsession keeping her blind to her true feelings. _

            What if she was wrong? Maybe she was right. 

            Engulfed in indecision and more importantly panic, Kagome decided to see if her dread was well founded, so she kissed him.

            It was a desperate, seeking kiss. She needed to know if what she felt for him, for Inuyasha was what she thought. She had been on an emotional roller coaster since she had return to the Feudal Era. She had suffered in watching Inuyasha reject her and watching her twin take his acceptance. It showed her love was meant elsewhere. 

            Kouga growled happily encouraging her. She kissed him rough and hard, her hand entwining into his hair, below the band. She was not naïve. She had kissed a number of boys in the last years. She had dated quite a few and kissed a couple. However, she had never done what she was doing at this moment. Every kiss she had given or taken had been tender, hesitant. All the boys she had gone out with she had known would never last beyond that date. 

She had dated not because the men who courted her swept her off her feet. No flower, no line, no personality had ever been able to woo her. She had dated always thinking of someone else. She had stared into their eyes and seen gold. When she had the goodnight kiss with her date she had known her heart did not lie in that moment and had barely given a ghost of contact. But now, she poured out her soul into this touch. 

She wanted to believe she had another love to turn to; someone else who made her feel the way Inuyasha did. 

            Even with her body pressed against his, their hands clutching each other, and their lips dancing a feverish union, Kagome felt only emptiness. Where her heart lied open welcoming that lost piece she sensed no completeness. The jigsaw Kouga tried to push into the hole cracked, but didn't crawl into her heart. 

            Her tears flowed in a new wave as her fear was founded. There was no fulfillment, only a black hole. 

Now she felt filthy.

When Kouga sought to deepen the kiss she could no longer allow the prostitution to continue. Sobbing she pushed his chest and stumbled back. She looked up through her fingers at the shocked, panting wolf. He must have been very surprise to be pushed by her; he was a lot stronger.

            He stared at her, questioning with his lustful eyes, 'Why?'

            Her lips quivered, "I'm sorry, Kouga. I just . . . just can't love you."

He looked so perplexed, so utterly lost. Unable to look at the disappointment in his eyes, Kagome fled. Sobbing loudly, the priestess stumbled through the dark frantic to get away from the wolf. She had used him. She had spent fours years trying to make sure he didn't get the wrong idea about her feelings for him, and yet she had just done that. 

She had let her guard down!

Running blind, her side starting screaming at her. She had forgotten her injuries. Kagome slowed down clutching her side in the dark. She winced at the tremors of pain running up her spine. She needed to sit down. 

Mindful of the drying mud she crumbled onto the ground. Her legs bent into her chest and her nose rubbed her knees. Her tears soaked into her jeans, small wet spots forming. Clutching her trembling limbs she felt her stress crushing down on her shoulders. Every moment, starting from when she had first entered this old realm, piled in a heap. Her eyes squeezed shut as she sobbed, "It's not fair… Why isn't it fair?...."

            She gave away her love.

            She was too weak to protect her friends.

            She put everyone in danger. 

            She could only blame herself for all the anguish she felt. Yet, she could not point the finger. There was reason for everything she did. Everything she had done in the Feudal Era had been to help others. When she had done it she had been willing to take on all the sufferings that would ensue. She had not been blind to the consequences. She just thought she could handle whatever storm would blow her way.

            Now she wasn't too sure.

            It was just too hard.

            "How could life be fair?" whispered a small voice, "If life was fair then there would be no suffering. No one would die. No one would fail. No one would be wrong. Life would be perfect, but it wouldn't be right."

            Kagome slowly lifted her tear-stained face to the familiar little girl and gasped, "Destiny?"

            The child giggled crazily, her locks bouncing, "The same."

            "What are you doing here?" the woman asked frantically, suddenly worried for the girl, "Where are your parents?"

            "Don't worry" Destiny claimed, "They're nearby. They know I'm here to see you."

            Kagome blinked, "See me?"

            She nodded. The girl slowly leaned forward and spoke softly, "You're crying."

            Automatically the priestess looked away erasing the tears with her thumb, "It's nothing."

            Destiny knelt beside the older woman, attempting to look at her eyes. Kagome turned her face further from sight. 

            "A lot of people say 'it's nothing'" the girl commented gaily, "But that's a horrible lie. Anyone can see nothing means something."

            Kagome had to giggle at the child-like logic, "You're one smart little girl."

            "I'm not as little as you think" Destiny replied smoothly. Her chin rose a little higher trying to appear tall and menacing.

            "Oh really?" the time traveler smiled, facing the child. 

            Destiny leapt to her feet and flexed her tiny arm muscles, "I'm strong. I bet I could even beat you in a fight."

            Kagome lifted her hands, "That's okay. I'm afraid I might get hurt."

            Smiling sweetly, Destiny knelt again, "So why were you crying? Why do you think life is unfair?"

            _'Who are you exactly Destiny?'_

            "The priestess admitted, "I feel tired."

            "Tired?"

            Kagome nodded staring at the ground, "I'm tired of the bad things that happen."

            "Like what?" 

            "It's a grown up problem" she shifted uncomfortably, "You probably won't understand."

            Quietly the girl leaned forward, "You wish he was with you."

            Her eyes swiveled onto the small stranger, "What?"

            Destiny was grinning, but it was an empty grin, like a diamond with no shine. Laughing softly, almost darkly, the child struck off into the woods. It was as if she had said nothing at all. Kagome immediately got to her feet, _'That's it. I'm going to find out exactly who you are.'_

            The priestess struck after the blue and green kimono forgetting the campfires were to her back.

________________________

            "Destiny!" she called wearily, "Where did you go?"

            It had been an hour since she had seen the girl last, and now she was beginning to worry. There was a chance that Destiny was in fact a powerful demon, tricking her into believing that she was a child. Kagome didn't have the will to suspect the girl. Her anxiety rose as the moon rose higher. 

            "Destiny?" Kagome whispered her eyes darting at the shadows. The empty darkness was beginning to play tricks with her. A twig snapped behind her and Kagome immediately swung around. She took a step back.

            Angrily Kagome cursed herself for not bringing her bow and arrows. Now she was far from the camp and had no idea what direction her friends were. She was in the middle of dark during a dangerous face off with their greatest enemy. 

            Life had irony.

            Sulking, the woman pulled her ripped jacket closer around her, _'What should I do now? Inuyasha may come looking for me once he notices I've been gone awhile. If he notices . . . His attention is probably still on Kikyo.'_

            Muttering caught her ears and she turned towards the sound. It was faint. She couldn't make out words, but it sounded like two people talking. Hoping it was the camp or just some of her traveling party she followed the voices. She would have shouted to the talkers, but she was worried whoever it was could be a threat. 

            Tentatively she pulled back a small cluster of branches and flinched. Here she was again hiding behind the brush staring at two lovebirds. Kikyo had her back to Inuyasha. The corpse was looking at the ground, her face blank. 

            "I understand you came to kill Naraku" Inuyasha said, "But why did you come to us?"

            Kikyo looked over her shoulder at the hanyou, winter in her eyes, "The bitterness between the two of us Inuyasha has festered for the last few years. We have known since my rebirth that we were tricked into betrayal."

            Walking towards him she continued softly, "I wish to bury the hatchet, as it were."

            They stood only a foot apart now looking at each with intensity glaring in their eyes. Kagome bit her lower lip, unable to make up your mind to leave or stay. She didn't want to watch the display of affection, but she had no idea which way was camp and here were two guides. 

            Yep, fate did not like her tonight. 

            "Do you remember when I was alive?" Kikyo asked quietly looking at the ground.

            Inuyasha also looked away his emotions plaguing his heart, "How could I forget those days? Those were the times when I first felt accepted. You were the first human to ever see beyond my demon side."

            Her hand cupped his cheek turning his face to hers. Their eyes connected, "When I was in possession of the jewel I had to restrain myself of hate. If my heart ever became poison with malice the jewel would suffer and I could never allow that due to my responsibility. Now there is a new owner to that jewel, I am free of such bondage."

            He scowled, "That cannot be the only reason you have been so hateful to me or the others."

            "No" she shook her head lightly, "It is not the reason, but it is a factor. All the emotions that fuels hatred hit me the moment I woke from death and I stepped back into the world with darkness shadowing me. It has taken me this last year to realize there was more than hate in my heart."

            He swallowed, his face glowing red, "Kikyo what are you saying?"

            _'She loves you, moron!'_

            "Once this over Inuyasha" she whispered, "once Naraku is dead. You must decide. I must return to Hell, and I ask again for you to join me."

            His gold eyes became sad, "Kikyo."

            Immediately, he crushed her to his body and Kagome felt her stomach flip. Their arms wrapped around the other as he whispered, "I promised before I would come with you. I shall never break that vow."

            Silent in their lover's embrace they stood contented to stay like that for the rest of the night.

            Kagome's heart crumbled and she sat on the ground facing her back to them. This was it. Once she stopped Naraku, Kikyo had no purpose to stay in the land of the living. When Kikyo would depart, it would be time for Inuyasha to leave with her, and the time traveler would have to bear watching him go. 

            She had never considered that. She had two days and two nights left with him, but Kikyo was here taking his concentration. Kagome felt like pulling out the rest of her heart and ripping it to pile it at her feet. 

            She finally had to face everything she had tried to side step. 

            "How can you watch them?" Destiny sat next to her spreading out the bottom of her kimono, "I know you love him."

            Kagome jumped about five feet in the air. Keeping her voice low because of the nearby couple the miko hissed frantically, "Where did you come from?!"

            Destiny covered her mouth trying to keep down her laughter, "I'm always around. You just don't know it."

            The priestess scowled, "Alright, Destiny. I think I have a right to know exactly who you are."

            The girl leaned her head to one side, "But I already told you. I'm Destiny."

            Kagome leaned in close speaking quietly, "Are you a demon?"

            "Sort of" the girl shrugged, "And sort of not."

            "Do you know Naraku?" she questioned, "Do you work for him?"

            "I know who he is" Destiny replied, "but whether or not I work for him is a complicated question."

            _'I've never heard a kid her age use the word 'complicated'.'_

            "That's not answering the question" Kagome insisted.

            Waving her tiny hand, she said, "That doesn't matter. I'm not here to talk about me. I'm here to talk about you, Kagome Higurashi."

            The priestess searched the girl's eyes, "How do you know my name?"

            Of course, she passed the questions. Destiny's tiny fingers took the woman's wet chin and tenderly the other hand wiped away a few tears, "What is that you want?"

            Kagome's mouth opened and closed as her heart became erratic. Stroking the maiden's cheek, Destiny whispered, "You think of everyone else before you. Why can't you just accept something for yourself?"

            Those words hit the nerve Kagome could not protect. Trembling the priestess bowed her head, "There's nothing for me to accept."

            "Life is not so cruel" the child whispered, her voice taking a more adult tone, "You will be given a chance."

            Her short arms embraced the woman pulling her into a small hug. Her pudgy fingers ran through the priestess's long black hair as Kagome laid her head on the child's lap. It was like the times with her mother. Whenever she was upset Kagome would sob into her mother's lap until the pain went away, just like this. The warmth was the same. The hands, though smaller, combed her hair just like her mother had done. Kagome bit back a sob as she wrapped her arms around the child's small waist. 

            Her tears soaked into the silk kimono as Destiny leaned forward. Quietly the child sung a song, maybe a lullaby, into the miko's ears. The words were in a different language, but the syllables were soft, elegant even. In seconds, Kagome had fallen asleep with the strange child petting her black curtain and whispering a soothing song of unidentifiable words. 


	7. Two Sides of One Coin

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha! 

However: To copy anything from my story, without my consent, is plagiarism!

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings1

Chapter 7 ~ Two Sides of One Coin

            Kagome shifted, feeling the annoying sun hitting her eyelids. She groaned and rolled over, turning her back to the bright rays. She always woke the same way, sun on her back. Her hand swept over her bed, rustling the leaves. Automatically her eyes fluttered opened, confused why her sleeping bag was in shreds. Finding only dead leaves Kagome hurried into a sitting position. 

            That's right she had lost her way, saw Inuyasha with Kikyo, and then Destiny came. 

            "Destiny" Kagome whispered, her eyes searching the sunlit forest. There was no sign of the small girl. 

            Slowly the woman stood, brushing away the clinging leaves on her clothes and hair, "Well, at least I can see everything now. I can probably find my way back."

            Glancing at her wristwatch she noticed it was well into the morning. She had left camp seven hours ago. Her shoulders dropped wearily, "I probably have everyone worried. Great job, Kagome."

            Using her fingers as a comb she began to brush away the tangles in her hair. Kagome glanced in different directions, looking for any signs of camp. Okay, even if you can see where you're at, it doesn't mean you know where you are. 

            Giving a frustrated growl the woman frowned, "Now I have to wait for someone to find me. We don't have time for this."

            "KAGOM E?" his voice shouted from the distant right. Her heart smiled, he was looking for her. 

            "Kagome?" he sounded frantic, and terribly worried.           

Grinning from ear to ear the girl cupped her hands around her mouth, "I'm over here, Inuyasha!"

The forest sounded like it was collapsing. Exploding from the vegetation, the white haired demon burst into the clearing, twigs and leaves clinging to his body. His gold eyes frantically searched the area and immediately saw the maiden. Before she could blink he was in front of her hysterically asking, "Are you alright? What happened? Why didn't you come back? Did Kouga try something last night?"

            Kagome blinked. He had seen Kouga follow her into the forest. Why didn't Inuyasha come after him? The Hanyou didn't tolerate the wolf sniffing around Kagome when she was alone. 

            "WELL?!" he shouted growing impatient.

            She smiled sadly, "I got a little lost and accidentally fell asleep in the forest, that's all."

            He slouched and muttered in astonishment, "That's it."

            "Yea" she nodded walking pass him, "Now can we get going. We still have a bit of distance to cover. If we push hard we can make it to the well before dusk."

            She began walking eager to return, and also to escape this moment of being alone with him. If she didn't leave now, she might pour out her love for him. He didn't need to feel guilty over his decision to be with Kikyo. 

            "Kagome" he called after her. She would have ignored the silent command if she hadn't notice the slight warmth in his tone. He sounded wistful, almost torn between his rough attitude and his concern for her. 

            She looked over her shoulder, not allowing herself to be vulnerably by exposing her whole self to him. He explored her eyes trying to see the rest of the story she chose to hide. 

            "Are you sure you're all right?" he was claiming a truce, saying if she would confided in him he would not spout off any of his wisecracks. 

            Shoving her hands into her jacket's pockets, she whispered, "Don't worry about it, Inuyasha. It's nothing you can help with."

            She moved off before he could press her for more. Inuyasha took a step meaning to follow, but he had learned long ago if Kagome would not tell, then nothing would get her to answer, unless you bugged her to the end of her wits. Nevertheless, he refused to interrogate her. He would prefer she would come to him instead. 

            His heart jumped when she suddenly turned around smiling brightly. She nervously slapped away a lock of hair, "Er . . . Inuyasha, which way is camp?"

_____________________________

            The arrow hit the third ring.

            Seventy.

            Kagome armed the bow again snorting in aggravation. Her almond eyes followed the length of the arrow's body and narrowed on the white chalk circles. The string strummed and the weapon flew embedding into the tree bark. 

            Her shoulders dropped. 

            Fourth ring, the largest one. 

            _'Make that eighty.'_

            Her aim was not itself today. She usually hit over two hundred by this time. 

            _'It's the stress.'_

            Another arrow, another bad hit. Now she had racked up a hundred points. 

            _'Everything is boiling down to the next few hours. Anyone would be off their game. It's only natural.'_

            Another arrow flew, but this one completely missed the white target by half a foot. 

            "Darn it!" she snapped under her breath. She raised her gloved palm to her face and noticed the irregular shaking. 

She didn't need this. 

Kagome loaded the next bullet in rapid hast. She didn't even bother following the length of the arrow when she aimed. When it released, the arrow didn't even hit the tree. 

She rubbed her face frustrated. If her skills failed her during the fight she could lose her life, or someone else's. 

Ignoring the growing pain in her side and the sweat dripping her brow, she readied her bow again. She pulled the string taunt, her jaw clenching together.

She didn't care if she was the weakest fighter in the group. They would still need her. 

She wanted to believe she was useful. 

The arrow glared at her from the ground, refusing to jump into the tree. She glowered at the stupid feather end, defeated. 

Looking around she noticed everyone sharpening his or her weapons. It had been decided that this would be their last break. Kagome refused to take another rest and Inuyasha refused to go further until she had taken a break, thus the result. 

Metal flashed throughout the camp. The army was rippling in wait. Nerves were bunching in impatience and fear. 

If they waited any longer the entire party would charge Naraku and trip over their own feet. 

With her gas mask hanging from her neck, Sango ran a palm over her large boomerang, checking for nicks. Miroku swung back his staff and Shippo flipped backwards. Kilala hopped onto the rod and ran up the shaft, charging the monk. Sango smiled as the cat caught the man's ponytail. Shippo snarled and flew at the religious figure's chest. In seconds the monk was rolling in the dust struggling to throw off the two demons. 

Kagome smiled at the growing play fight, watching Sango join in.  Leaning against a near tree the priestess rested. Her side was flaring in heat. Perhaps she should take a break, pushing herself wouldn't help. 

Soon she found herself sitting on the ground, her mind just rambling in thought, and her bow limp in her hands.

'Souta's birthday will be in August. I need to find a nice trinket from here before I leave.'

She scowled as her eyes closed, 'When I do leave, should I close the well?'

'If it remains open, I can still come visit. I can help with Miroku and Sango's courtship. I can make sure Shippo is growing up happy. Kaede will need help bringing in more herbs for fall.'

'But . . .'

'I'll come back to find him missing, or worse, Kikyo and Inuyasha will stay in the land of the living. If that happens Kikyo will stay where her home is, Kaede's village. How can I go see anyone when those two will be there? I can barely stand it as it is.

'Besides, if the well stays open more demons will travel to my time. More than once a demon has found its way to the present world. What if it continues?

'Maybe the time has come for my stay here to end. Maybe my destiny in this period has ended. Once Naraku is destroyed the jewel will be complete and my purpose here gone.

'Is that why I was first brought to this time? Was I the one destined to stop Naraku?

'Maybe, it's better to close the well. My life on the other side is beginning. I only have two years left for my bachelor's degree. I want to get my doctrine. I'll be getting a real job.

'These last years I've been spending less time here, in the past. Perhaps fate is trying to gently break me away from this. Is it time for me to move on?'

Tears trembled down her rosy cheeks as the thought fate crushed her heart. To give him up, she must give all of them up. 

'I can't. I can't leave them.

'But what if someone else falls into the well? People aren't meant to visit the past. 

'More importantly, what if someone from this time goes into the future?

'Naraku isn't the only evil here. If someone just as powerful goes through the well my future will be destroyed. 

'But they need a Shikon shard to travel through the well. 

'Actually Inuyasha has been able to travel back and forth without a shard. Several demons have passed through also without a shard's aid. The Piper demon, which took care of the spirits of dead children, never had a shard. Besides the giant centipede woman had been the one who came part way into the present and pulled me into the past. 

'Maybe . . .'

'Maybe, only humans need a shard to pass through. What if any demons can use the well?'

Kagome's eyes flew open. She had opened the way for the danger. 

The well had to be sealed!

"I see your aim is a bit off" Kikyo commented as she came to stand by the girl. Kagome automatically stood, suddenly uncomfortable.

Glancing at the tree in embarrassment the time traveler replied, "It's the stress."

"Perhaps" the priestess replied walking to the target, "It seems more like distraction."

Twirling the bow like a baton Kagome muttered, "Can you blame me? At the end of this road lies my home and Naraku. One must end, but I have no way to no which will end."

The silent woman nodded still staring at the arrows. She was scrutinizing their positions. Was she judging her?

"Kagome, would you like a lesson" her voice spoke evenly. Kagome's eyebrow rose. Glancing at the others she noticed the play fight had ended and her friends were staring at the two of them, concerned for her. 

Changing her weight to the other foot, Kagome nodded, "I would be honored."

The corpse nodded and pulled out the embedded arrows. Double-checking the bunch she handed the bundle to the original owner and Kagome replaced them in her quiver. 

The time traveler armed her weapon, ready to begin. Walking around her reincarnation, Kikyo stood directly three feet to the rear, "Now, take a shot."

Inhaling Kagome lifted her bow and followed her aim. Her fingers dug into the feather as her chocolate eyes narrowed on the target. 

The arrow was embedded in the largest circle, 'Crap.'

Kagome bit her lip, wanting to kick the tree. Her rival was watching this sad display. How more pathetic could she get? 

"Don't worry about it" the woman's voice was deadpan, giving way to no comfort except in what words she used, "You're aim is good from what I've seen. Your body is tired though."

"Maybe this a bad idea then?" Kagome said feebly.

"Never" the priestess argued, "When a battle occurs you don't have time to take a breath. Everything happens in an instant whether you're tired or not. Survival depends on how effective you can react."

Kikyo signaled for another try, but before Kagome took aim her sister began adjusting her arms, "Keep your aiming arm perfectly straight, but never lock your elbow. When you pull your arrow make sure you're not pulling so tight that your hand shakes. It doesn't matter how far your arrow can fly if it hits only ground."

Sighing the maiden aimed again. Her eyesight was unfocused for a split second, but she blinked away the haze. She felt vulnerable at that moment with her rival watching her. She wanted to prove herself worthy.

She wanted that bulls-eye.  

The string twanged as the arrow flew. Kagome grinned when she noticed the arrow had hit the very rim of the center circle. 

Kikyo nodded, "Not bad. Just remember don't lock your elbows and never pull too hard."

The younger miko turned, surprise evident on her face, "Thanks."

The older miko shrugged walking away, "You might be the one who gets the opportunity to kill him, and I don't want us to lose any chance we might have."

Kagome sadly stared after the woman, 'you're so much like Inuyasha. You hide behind logic and excuse. Never willing to expose what you really feel or intend. It's just that you hide better than he does."

The time-traveler took another look at her last shot and scowled, 'I doubt it will be me that will determine the battle, but I promise not to fail given the opportunity.'

            She narrowed her eyes vowing to cutoff Naraku's path. He would never reach the well. 

Kagome walked towards her friends, their game long gone, but their happiness still in the air. Sighing wearily she sat across from her sister and laid down her weapons. 

Sango offered her water jug and Kagome took it gladly. Downing a swallow, the priestess grinned, "Thanks."

Her sister nodded, "How are you holding?"

"Fine" the maiden, replied, dodging the concern, "I barely feel anything in my side and my hand is just a little sore."

'That's a load of bull.'

Kagome reached for her pack, feeling hungry, but before her fingers brushed the bag Sango grabbed her wrist. The huntress immediately ripped off the leather glove, the miko wore, revealing the red bandages. Kagome winced painfully as Sango peeled away the gauzes finding raw bleeding flesh. 

Shaking her head the fighter muttered, "This is what you call sore? You have to be in a lot of pain, Kagome. "

The priestess looked away, guilty, "It's not that bad."

Sango poured ointment on the red palm causing Kagome to suck in a deep breath. Rubbing tenderly over the wound Sango watched her friend's eyes water. It wasn't even close to finish healing. 

"You need to be careful" she instructed whiling wrapping new bandages around the girl's hand, "It could get infected or never heal properly."

Kagome wrenched her hand away once Sango was done. She wasn't a baby. Slightly hurt by the priestess's reaction, the huntress kept silent as the woman replaced her glove. 

            Stretching her hand to test flexibility, Kagome whispered, "Don't worry about me, Sango. I'll be alright."

            The huntress leaned forward, her eyes distraught. 

            "Your important to me" the woman insisted covering the glove hand with her own, "I have to worry about you. I dare not lose you, or anyone else here."

            "I feel the same way" Kagome replied quietly looking at the ground, "Everyone I know and care for lies in danger, and I'm responsible."

            "You mustn't believe that" Miroku insured having listen to the whole conversation, "Naraku was not your doing, Kagome."

            "The well is" the miko retorted loudly, "By bringing myself here I have opened the way for demons to reach my time, setting everyone in my time in danger. Thus, I must protect the well, but in doing so bringing all of you into battle." 

            "We gladly come to your aid, Kagome" Sango tried to ease the maiden, "The battle was to come whether or not the well became endangered. Besides your coming to this time period was pure accident."

            "Not anymore its not" she argued weakly, "I should have stayed in the future. I belong there."

            Kagome jumped as she felt a small furry form crawl into her lap. Looking down at her kit's blue eyes, she saw tears. Clutching her hand in his tiny one he asked softly, "Do you not like it here with us, Kagome?"

            She wanted to cry again. 

            "I love it here, Shippo" the miko reassured hugging the child, "It's just I'm responsible for ever letting a demon through the Bone-eater's Well. People have gotten hurt because I continued to visit this time period. I left the well open for others to pass through."

            Sango grew worried and eyed the pensive woman, "Kagome?"

            The miko woke from her thoughts, "Yes?"

            Swallowing the lump forming in her throat the huntress said, "The way you're talking, it sounds like you plan to seal the well." 

            "Where is Inuyasha?" Kagome asked changing the subject as quickly as possible.

            Sango was surprise at the dodging of her question and sought to ask it again, but Shippo cut her off, "He's been off on his own since we stopped."

            Kagome glanced towards the trees behind her, 'He's making a decision for Kikyo, but didn't he say he would keep his promise to her?'

            Standing the monk stretched, "I best retrieve him. We should get back to the road. We have rested long enough."

            Kagome stood rapidly, "I'll round up Kouga and his men."

            Sango reached for the retreating miko distressed, "Miroku, why did you let her go like that? Didn't you hear what she was saying? She plans to seal the well. She might be leaving us forever!"

            "Ease your worries, Sango" the monk said watching their sister talk to the wolf demons, "Lately, she's been under a lot of stress. She needs time to collect herself before she can tell us anything."

            She knew he was right, but it didn't make her feel better. Sighing, unhappy with the thought of their sister leaving them, Miroku left to find the dog demon.

__________________________

            Kagome panted, her side burnt in the ripping wind. The sun had already disappeared behind the covered horizon, but the sky still contained its pink glow with blackness hanging at its corners. They had entered the Forest of Inuyasha less than a half hour ago. 

            The well was a few moments away.

            The dusk had brought a strange mist to close in around them as they flew through the forest. Was this a way for Naraku to intimidate them?

            Kagome pushed harder even though her injuries were tearing open. She grunted pushing away the hissing ache. Looking over Miroku's shoulder she could see Inuyasha entering the open field. Panting she stumbled into the dusk covered land, her eyes automatically locking on the stone edifice. 

            Everyone slowed to a halt, their eyes darting over the area for any signs of their opponent. They were ready for battle, but had no one to fight. 

            "He should be here" the dog growled, "He would have at least followed us."

            Kagome's eyes stayed on the well her heart speeding up with each empty moment. Had he already gone through?

            Frantically she left the protection of the group and clambered up the shallow hill. 

            "Kagome!" he called after her, his voice warning. 

            "Wait, Kagome!" Sango too cried.

            She had to be sure. 

            She stumbled at the top and fell towards the rim. Gripping the lip of the well she searched the deep pit. However, without the sun there was only blackness seen.

            For a frantic moment she thought to leap in and make sure her time was untouched, but she stopped. What if he was waiting on her to do just that? He wanted to see her travel through. Or better yet, did he think he could pass to the future if he was with her?

            "Kagome!" they called urging her back.

            Slowly she walked backwards her eyes watching the stonewall, concerned it would leap towards her at any moment. 

            "Kagome!"

            It was too late of a warning. 

            "Now the key has found its way to me," the dark voice roared in the clearing. Slowly her eyes rolled to the treetops, his silhouette towering above her. 

            She never knew what happened after that moment. 


	8. All or Nothing

Disclaimer (Again): Yep, that's right. I do not own Inuyasha, but everything else is mine, so HANDS OFF!!!!

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings1

Chapter 8 ~ All or Nothing

            Kagome opened her eyes and could see the grass flapping in the darkness. Immediately she got to her hands. What happened? Before she could even take in the landscape, a heavy body rammed into her. 

Echoing her cry, she gave a small cry. Rolling through the field she fought to stop and see what was happening. Kagome hurried to her feet as fast as she could, her arms already reaching for her bow.

She was still in the Feudal Era. The battle was on.  

Kagome noticed most of the wolf pack, along with Kilala, handling Naraku's three minions. Everyone else was centralizing their attacks on the human looking monster with the spider scar. 

"Kagome, are you all right?" her son's voice asked. 

She turned seeing him at her feet. Shippo looked at her his eyes wide with worry. She smiled, "Yes, I didn't get hurt."

Shippo exhaled happily. Naraku had swept down ready to capture the young miko, but Inuyasha and Kouga had intervened. Naraku had already knocked Kagome to the ground by the time the two men had arrived. Inuyasha had immediately knelt by the woman's side while the wolf demon protected the two. 

Everyone had freaked when they realized the young priestess had been momentarily knocked unconscious, but they had no time to waist because in moments the enemy was upon them. Shippo had been left behind to watch over her. The little fox demon had done very little during his guard watch, except push her out of the way of a recent attack from Naraku. 

Kagome looked back to the large-scale battle and saw Naraku slap Sango across her face. The young miko gave a small cry as she watch her sister fall, but Sango was not so hurt that she didn't have enough sense to roll away from Naraku. Miroku took her spot as Naraku sought to pursue her. His staff swung up to hit the demon's chin, but the demon man dodged and pushed the monk back. An arrow flew narrowly missing its target. 

Kikyo stood just outside the fight, reloading her bow.

Inuyasha's turn came and he dropped from the heavens his blade glowing. Naraku leapt backwards and his poison gas filled the small hill. Everyone hunched over choking on the sickening air. 

Kagome covered her mouth and charged pass the wolf demons and the three dark fighters. She could hear Shippo on her heels. With difficulty she armed her bow while running uphill. The narrow neck bounced around unwilling to sit in its notch. 

"Darn it!" the young miko yelled.

"Kagome, look out!" 

Who had said that?

She looked up, seconds after her arrow was loaded. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Naraku dropping down on her. How did he get over here?

She was knocked to the ground her bow and arrow flung from her fingers. Her lungs were flattened empty as she was pressed into the earth. She scratched at the hand cutting into her esophagus.

"Naraku" she hissed.

"Finally everything I need is in my hands" he growled triumphantly, "Once I pass into your time they will never be able to seek my death. Their revenge will be incomplete and they will be tortured by their failure. And you, Higurashi, will make it happen."

Kagome kicked as hard as she could into his stomach hoping to loosen the grip on her. Shippo gave a small warrior's cry as he leapt at the demon's throat. Kagome was suddenly lifted out of the fox's reach and she was launched into the air with Naraku holding her neck. 

Within the darkness, the well came into view. He was going to travel to the future!

Panicking, Kagome swung her fist as hard as she could at the man's face. Naraku was jostled by the blow and missed the well's entrance. Together they crashed a few feet away from the stone circle, both of them rubbing into the hard earth. Kagome groaned as she crawled to her knees.

_'That really hurt.'_

Turning she saw Naraku glaring at her. His hand reached for her, but suddenly Kouga bit into the demon man's neck. Howling Naraku tried to pull the wolf from his back. Kagome frantically searched for a weapon.

Grabbing one of the few arrows that hadn't fallen out of her quiver during the confrontation, Kagome ran towards the demons. Just as Kouga was thrown aside, Kagome flung down the arrowhead into Naraku's shoulder. Instantly he backhanded her. 

Kagome flew backwards, pain searing through her face from the blow. She slid through the dirt, watching him wrench out the glowing arrow. Blood exploded from the wound as he stalked towards her. He looked pissed. Scrambling to her feet she prepared herself for the worst.

Inuyasha appeared out of nowhere plummeting everything at Naraku. Sango pulled Kagome off the ground by the elbow, "You alright?"

_'That's the second time someone has asked me that! I'm not glass.'_

"Fine! I'm fine" Kagome replied hotly, "Where's my bow?"

Her eyes snapped onto the red slender neck of her weapon twenty yards away. Without stopping to check for danger she flung herself down the hill. She heard Sango warn her, but it was too late as Kagura's razor wind came flying at her. 

Covering her head, the girl bit her lip refusing to scream as the wind ripped up the earth. Looking up through her flapping ebony locks she followed the golden blades with her eyes, dodging those that came near. Wolf demons charged the demon woman, but she easily kept them away with her waves of golden attacks. 

_'Her attacks are woven into the currents of wind.'_

Frantically the miko grabbed an arrow. All she needed to do was shoot off and arrow, her spirit filled attack would knock out the demon woman's wind. Kagome would gain a few moments. 

Waiting for her chance, Kagome leapt forward and bypassed one of the attacks. Tumbling forward the girl came just a few feet short of her bow. Her hope wavered against the blaring wind. Crawling the last bit of distance, the miko latched onto her scarlet weapon. 

Security wrapped around her as she wrenched her weapon from the ground. She always felt better with her bow. 

Looking up the girl noticed one of the golden wind blades heading in her direction. Subconsciously she dropped her arrow into its notch, and her hand pulled back the string. Her hair whipped wildly behind her as her missile glowed a beautiful pink. Heat surrounded her as the miko powers swelled.

"Eat this!" Kagome screamed through the hurricane roar, her arrow shooting through the air. Ripping straight through the wind attack the arrow created a straight path to the woman. 

Kagura screeched as the arrow dug under her shoulder, blackness clashing with the vibrant pink. Kagome watched in grim satisfaction as the demon woman's body obliterated into chunks of flesh and blood. 

Pushing off the ground the priestess turned her attention back to the large-scale battle. Sango and Miroku were heading towards her, concern written all over their face. However, Kohaku suddenly appeared between the miko and her friends, demanding the huntress's and the monk's immediate attention. 

Naraku laughed as Kouga took a wild swipe at him. Inuyasha came from behind, but the demon lord disappeared into the air. 

Kagome swirled around, her hair matting to her face. Everything was a wild mess. Her eyes flickered over the hillside, watching everyone struggling in a frantic frenzy. Her friends panted, exhausted from hours of battling. Bodies slammed to the ground, anguished filled screams lifted thickening the blood reeked air. 

Kanna, where was Kanna?

Turning Kagome saw Kanna, as always, holding up her mirror. Bright white light surged out of her weapon curling around the horde of wolves and dragging out their souls. The wolf demons crumbled to the ground one by one, unable to defend themselves against her powers. Gradually each soul was sucked into her mirror sending a wash of power to the child-like enemy's body. 

Kagome reached for another arrow, _'If one arrow had released the souls before, then another should do the same.'_

However, before she could even load her weapon someone else's arrow hit the gleaming mirror. Eyes, both demon and human, swiveled onto the walking corpse. Kikyo already had her next arrow ready, her aim obviously directed at Kanna and her mirror. 

Her mouth dropped open as Kagome watched the priestess's arrow crash into the mirror, barely nicking it, _'Why didn't it work?'_

Kikyo armed herself again. Dread ran through the girl's nerves. Something wasn't right. 

Again the arrow flew this time heading for the white haired child's forehead. Kanna's blank expression disappeared behind the protection of her mirror as the deadly missile was blocked. The arrow tumbled to the ground, lifeless and dark. 

Kagome was already jogging towards the priestess, _'This isn't right! Kikyo and I share the same miko powers. If I can break Kanna's mirror than so should Kikyo.'_

Tucking in her next arrow Kagome lifted her aim to the mirror and yelled into the wind, "My turn!"

Kanna barely had time to block the attack as it came shooting at her head. Glowing its usual pink the arrow floated inches from the reflecting surface, sparks flying. Her little hands clenched tighter around the mirror as the feather spear began to push into the portal. Leaping from the round surface, pink rays struck the ground tearing up the bodied covered ground. Wolf demons were forced to turn tail for fear of being singe. 

By this time, Kagome had come to Kikyo's side and was added another arrow to her bow. The dead miko scowled at the wild display before them, "What happened?"

Pulling on the string Kagome shouted, "Her mirror gives her strength by sucking in people's souls. If it gets too full, however, the mirror will break. Our miko power is somehow intertwined with our soul and because of our strength, one arrow can easily break the mirror."

Kagome released the artillery, her arrow singing through the air.

Kanna kept her emotionless expression as the second missile entered the mirror, never taking a breath in its plunge. For a split second the world, became mute and all fighting was cleanse of any sound, but once the second ticked away a white light enveloped the clearing and a sonic boom crashed into the crowd of people. Knocked to the earth from the blare the fighters tumbled amongst each other, struggling to rise. 

Kagome picked herself off the ground the moment the boom had faded. Searching for Kanna she noticed the demon girl laid unconscious, probably dead, on the ground, her clothes ripped. 

_'Okay, so it works when I do it. Why did Kikyo fail?'_

Kagome noticed her ancestor shakily getting to her own feet, "Kikyo, your arrow was empty of power."

The cold priestess stared at the dead pile of flesh, silent.

Kagome narrowed her eyes, "What's been happening? Why are your powers grown cold?"

"I have spent too much time here in the land of the living" Kikyo replied evenly, her face stone, "When I was brought back to life with our spirit I only retained part of our soul. I never belonged here once I was killed. The Gods have slowly been draining my life force, our soul, and gradually returning it to your body."

That meant one thing.

The world spun. Kagome gasped, "Your dying."

The priestess nodded, "Yes, I've been force to steal souls since the beginning to keep me in this realm of life."

Turning into the breeze, the maiden of ice's face swept back into a chill wave, "Our soul has kept me alive for these last years, but I have been drained. Souls can only sustain me for a few short days. Our soul is what has kept me alive for so long."

Kikyo obviously was irritated with her situation. Her miko abilities were her weapon, without them she was handicapped. Naraku could easily handle an ordinary arrow. She could never gain her revenge through her own hands. She had to depend on others. 

"Haven't you noticed?" Kikyo asked, her voice empty and faint, "Have you not felt the power swelling within you?"

Kagome's heart skipped, "Shards have been easier to locate and I can sense them over long distances. I even used the powers recently through my hand, like before when I handled my first demon. Back then I had torn off Lady Centipede's arm, but it had never injured me. This time, however, I ripped up my entire hand with the miko powers."

The gloved hand gradually lifted to her face, Kagome's almond eyes staring pensively at the burning palm beneath the leather. Identical almond eyes settled on the hand, "Since you have been apart from those powers so long your body is still readjusting to the measure of strength. It took you over ten years to grow accustom and use the power without hurting yourself. After missing it near four years, you can imagine the damage the intense powers could cause."

Shoving her throbbing hand into her jean pocket Kagome muttered, "Don't worry. I have the general idea."

Abruptly the ground quaked beneath the mikos' feet rudely interrupting their conversation. Together the two priestesses looked up. Naraku threw the wolf lord directly into the newly created crater holding the hanyou. Inuyasha dragged himself out of the destroyed earth, his body covered in dirt. The dog mutt was soon buried eight feet deeper when Kouga rammed into his back, nearly snapping his spine. 

Watching the dust float in the moonlight, the time traveler let out a heart wrenched scream, "Inuyasha!" 

Even if she was denied his love, she could never give up her own love for him. Automatically she was racing down the hill irrationally hoping she could protect him, "Inuyasha!"

Her heart thundered when she heard no response to her frantic cries, "Inuyasha!"

Kagome stopped on a dime when Naraku headed her off. The man smiled wickedly as he slowly stood before her. Evidently he believed he had won. Seeing his grin, Kagome's temper festered, "You are not triumphant yet, Naraku. Two of your minions have already been killed. I think you have forgotten how our strength has progressed in the last years. We are no easy prey."

His grin never faltered only grew, "You think I have only three soldiers at my beck in call. How foolish of you to underestimate me!"

A great howl and a rip of wind blared over the hillside. Kagome flipped her hair back to stare up into the sky. The full moon disappeared behind the silhouettes of hundreds of demons. It was an entire army. 

"Crap!" she watched the horde floating down in attack formation, _'I should have known he would be more prepared!'_

Kagome stepped back knowing their predicament had gone sour. There were just too many of them. 

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted swinging up her boomerang. 

"Tessiaga!" Inuyasha appeared covered in dirt, swinging his father's sword. 

Kilala barreled into the center of the army, claws swiping down hundreds at once. Demons dropped like flies as the remaining soldiers scattered into battle. Kagome watched in astonishment the number of Naraku's soldiers outweighing their numbers still. Three of their best attacks and it had barely put a dent in the regime!

Kagome whipped out another arrow from her stash. Pink light surrounded the woman as she concentrated all of her miko power into the weapon. If she could hit the lead demons before they hit the ground maybe it would level the playing field.

Her eyes narrowed. She had to kill a good portion or the attack would be useless. 

"Have you forgotten me?!" Naraku roared charging her. 

_'Oops!'_

On reflexes, Kagome whipped her arrow back at the demon lord, "If you insist!"

Naraku grunted in distress as the spear shot towards him, and then slowly drilled into his arm. Kagome hunched forward her nose bleeding. He quickly grabbed the shaft of the arrow and ripped it away, but it had done its worst. The bomb exploded tearing his arm to shreds. 

She reloaded maybe she could still catch a few of the demons. Her arrowhead rattled against the bow, her body sobbing in torture. That last attack had done something to her. It had felt like someone had punched her in the gut. 

Was this just a reaction to using so much of her powers at once? 

_'I can't even handle my own strength! How much more of a wimp can I be?!'_

Shakily she aimed at Naraku nursing his lost arm. His eyes glared at her, obviously pissed, "Don't cry success yet, Higurashi."

            Alarm ran up her spin as Kagome's heart stopped. Why was she so scared?

            Her eyes swelled as she saw the entire swarm of monsters stampede into their direction. Naraku stretched out his good arm welcoming the onslaught of bodies absorbing into his body. A purplish-black aura surrounded him, reflecting in the miko's eyes. 

            The ground rattled and she fell to her knees. Kikyo came beside her lending an arm to help her up. Inuyasha and the others battled their own feet, trying to stay aloft. Kagome lifted up with the older woman's aid. 

            The world shattered as the dark sphere surrounded the demon king exploded, enveloping their eyesight.

            Kagome blinked rapidly, driving away the spots in her eyes. Every nerve in her body went numb as she saw Naraku pulsating in a liquid black atmosphere. His knuckles cracked, making two huge fists. His ebony hair floated behind him giving him a supernatural air. Veins throbbed below his skin as muscles swelled. 

Kagome swallowed nervously as she realized his strength had shot up by ten folds. Her eyes looked past the demon flesh seeing pink diamonds twinkling throughout his empty soul. It was like peering down into a black hole with tiny stars dancing hope in the distance. _'He's finally done it. In the last four years, Naraku has never used the Shikon Jewel on himself, but today he has put every shard he possessed into his body.'_

            "You've waited all this time" Kagome grew stiff, her sarcasm heightening, "You never used the shards yourself until now. Have you finally begun to be afraid of us, Naraku?"

            His eyes leveled on her. Pure energy overflowed from him surging forward like a wall. Kagome couldn't hold back her scream as she was knocked backwards. The wind blew fierce dragging her several more feet. Her teeth clenched together as her back racked over stones and branches. Groaning against the beating hurricane, the woman dragged herself to her knees, using her bow as a cane. Her mane flew about wildly, her eyes squinting against the stinging wind.

            "Such a foolish child!" Naraku hissed his eyes glowing a demonic scarlet, "You actually think I could be afraid of people who I have tricked countless times?!"

            In the corner of her eyes she noticed the fighters scowling at his words. Kagome stumbled to her feet, glaring at the monster past her sister's shoulder. 

            "I think for once your plan has failed!" she shouted pushing heavily on each syllable, "We've actually cornered you!"

            He laughed hysterically, "In what corner have you pressed me into, Higurashi?! I stand before your ragged group more powerful then ever. How could you possibly stop me?"

            _'I have no idea.'_

            He had met her bluff. 

            Kagome fingered her quiver and felt a single feather brush her digits, _'One left. Make it count.'_

            She loaded her bow in two seconds flat, her aim taken in the next three, "I think I can still do enough damage to scare you!"

            Like the demon lord, Kagome became surrounded by a pulsating aura. Instead of blackness, however, the miko's aura was a convulsing pink star. Her almond eyes reflected the rosy sparkle as her arrow twitched in its notch. Blood from her nose dripped off her chin as she concentrated all of her power into that single missile. 

            Soon the bow began to shake surging with so much strength. It wasn't long before the time traveler was unable to hold the arrow. 

            _'It's all you, Kagome. Don't fail now.'_

It sprung from the bow feral and violent, directly on path with the man's, hopefully present, heart, _'Please.'_

Her mouth dropped as Naraku easily smacked away the arrow, the tip never reaching its target. Her eyes followed the arrow as it tumbled to the ground, energy within its construct snuffing out.  

Her bow fell limply from her fingertips, _'I've failed.'_

Powerless. She was powerless. 

He stood before her, superior. He had won. 

Grinning like the devil himself, Naraku stood tall, obviously knowing his victory.

"What do you want?" Kagome asked her hands open in defeat. The entire audience went slack unable to believe they had heard the young woman give up. She would never bend to the dark lord. 

Even Naraku was skeptical of the girl submission, "As I said before I want access to your time."

"That's not my question!" Kagome shouted, her arms spreading wide. Her feet quietly lead her forward, bringing her to stand directly next to her mirror. Her shoulders shook as Kagome glared at the monster, "You have spent years destroying people's lives, killing hundreds."

"FOR WHAT?!" she screamed, tears of frustrating pooling in her eyes. Silence ensued, no one able to understand the girl's sudden passion. 

Kagome couldn't understand herself. Maybe it was all of the emotional traumas she was handling the last few days. Perhaps she was too worn to handle the enormity of this battle. All she felt was anguish as she stared at this monster, watching him win after all the sins he had committed. 

It wasn't fair!

"You forced Inuyasha and Kikyo to betray one another. Miroku's family is cursed. Kouga's clan was slain. You used Kohaku as a puppet and had him kill all of his family and dozen of villages!" She shouted, her words broken, "I see no end to your evil, Naraku. I see only random purpose!"

She panted exerted from her force. Feebly she asked again, "What is it that you want?"

Naraku grinned slowly, his eyes glittering blood red, "I want to break people's spirit!"

His hand uncurled, stretching towards the woman. According to her eyes, emptiness accumulated in his fingers. His voice growled deep and threatening, "Namely Inuyasha's spirit."

Kagome blinked. Invisible power was barreling towards her. The sheer strength of the attack was enough to kill even the most powerful demon. 

Everything went in slow motion as she saw the power coming spiraling into a point. 

_'Move.'_

Noticing the attack's path, Kagome's heart stopped. Kikyo was its target. Naraku's desire still directed to hurt Inuyasha, but what good was it to kill an already dead woman. Her eyes grew wide.

Not even hesitating, Kagome stepped forward directly into the unseen attack's path. 

"KAGOME!"

When did it hit her? She could feel wetness soaking through her clothes, but her nerves were completely numb to pain. Slowly her eyes looked down seeing red spreading throughout her clothes. Her hand gently touched the large spot covering her abdomen and realized where her stomach was there laid an empty hole gushing with blood. 

_'If Kikyo dies now, Inuyasha will never be able to go to Hell with her.'_

Kagome never experienced the impact as she hit the ground.


	9. Within the Tapestry

Never owned Inuyasha, never intend to own Inuyasha, but wished I did.

I own this story, no one else will and should never intend to. 

Choice of Destiny

By anglewings1

Chapter 9 ~ Within the Tapestry 

            It was as blue as a summer sky, and just as endless. There were no lines of corners. There was no distinction between roof and floor. It was however a place, you could even call it a room. She just had no contemplation of where it began or end. 

            Kagome stared in wonderment, blinking rapidly. She had never dreamed of heaven to be blue. She also thought it to be more complex, with land, ocean, clouds, something. All there was within the abyss was her. Yet it felt not empty, actually it felt full. 

            Emptiness was cold.

            This was warm. She did not want to run from it. She was happy to bask in it for that moment. 

            Closing her eyes, Kagome inhaled deeply. The world smelt like nothing she could compare it to. It was a scent like no other, and by all means pleasant. 

            "Finally" an elegant voice startled her. She hadn't seen anyone else here.

            Kagome opened her eyes and stared at the small child, floating within the blue vastness. The young woman blinked, "Destiny?"

            The familiar child stared back the woman, her face blank, "I wish I could welcome you, Kagome Higurashi, but I cannot. For in fact you are not meant to be here."

            "Destiny, what's going on? Where am I? What are you doing here?" the priestess asked, fear gradually rising. 

            "Calm yourself, Higurashi" the girl signaled with raised hands, "I promise to tell you all that I can. Now ask one question at a time."

            Kagome's breathing grew heavy, "What's going on?"

            Destiny glanced upwards, momentarily, "A few moments ago you sacrificed yourself for Kikyo. You're dead."

            The miko gaped, "What?"

            "Don't worry" the child began to giggle, "You'll be alright."

            "Alright?!" the woman stared at the small girl incredulously, "I'm dead. Everything has ended. Everyone's gone."

            Tears were already falling onto her jacket. She stared down at her feet, "I'm alone?"

            "Did you think death would be perfect?" Destiny whispered, her words cruel to the dead woman. 

The priestess turned around staring at the empty space. Pooling tears clouded her vision, "I didn't even think of death. I j-just stepped out knowing I couldn't let her die."

"Why?" 

Kagome squeezed her eyes close, not wanting to live this nightmare, "Because he wouldn't be able to be with her, if she was killed again."

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Destiny asked knowing the miko's heart like someone who was much wiser than a child, "Didn't you want him to stay and be with you?"

Kagome whirled around. 

"It's not what he wants!" she shouted through a sob.

It felt cold then, after her shout, like a vacuum sucking up the summer heat. 

The priestess continued to cry as the young child studied her with curious eyes. Destiny inhaled sadly, "To you, what your heart feels doesn't matter. Than why should being alone matter?"

The miko trembled, her entire being screaming under torment. Kagome shoved her fists into her face, trying to block out everything. She never felt so lost. She fell to her knees, her entire body convulsing in bawling cries, "I don't know."

Gradually the woman had curled into ball, trying to find some comfort. 

"Didn't you realize what heartache there will be if you give up what you want?" Destiny began to shout, refusing to be blocked out, "You can't think it's so easy to give up on something you want so badly."

"Please, stop!" Kagome covered her ears and hid her face beneath her long hair.

"You can't just hold back all of this remorse, Higurashi!" The girl continued to yell, her tiny voice rough as any adult's, "This is the path you took when you stepped in front of that arrow!"

"Why?" the miko sniveled, still lying down, "Why do continue to punish me like this? Do you enjoy watching others suffer?"

Destiny tiptoed to the distraught woman curled in a fetal position. If one might have stepped back to look at the situation, it might have been considered funny, even ironic. There laid a woman crying like you would see a spoiled child do, and there, watching the heartbreaking display, stood the youth, at least a decade younger. 

Smiling sadly, the girl knelt down beside the miko and stroked the maiden's beautiful raven hair, "I never enjoy watching people suffer, especially you."

Before long, the sobs quieted down and gradually pink eyes peered out from beneath the black curtain, "Then why?"

Destiny's smile faded, her sparkling eyes showing an unspoken apology, "Because you need to understand what it is to give up what you desperately want."

Her words were soft and comforting slowly coaxing the miko out of her grief. The priestess slowly rose gradually leaving herself open to anything the child might say. Everything the child had spoken was damaging to heart, but true. Kagome stared at the little innocent face wonder how she could feel no malice towards this child. 

Gradually the priestess's almond eyes drifted back to their ghostly chamber. Looking at the endless blue wonderment, Kagome whispered, "Where are we?"

            "A dream perhaps" Destiny replied, almost making it sound like Kagome would know better than her, "Could one call it a vision, perhaps? This place was never given a name. It is a place where only your mind and soul can enter."

            "But my body" Kagome stammered as she patted down her jacket and jeans, "I feel it. My body is here."

            The child shook her head and tapped her forehead, "It's all in your head. Your mind was instructed to create this place and in doing so it automatically created your body within here."

            Kagome looked up, scowling, "If its my mind, than, how are you here?

            "I was the one who told your spirit to create this environment" Destiny replied spreading out her arms, "You created it, but I initiated it."

            The priestess swallowed, stepping backwards. This person standing before her in this child-like form was supernaturally powerful to a measure beyond the priestess's imagination. Surely no demon could do this. 

"Who are you exactly?" Kagome asked her voice choked. 

            Her fellow occupant offered a detached grin, "As I have said before, I am Destiny."

            The miko wanted to pull out her hair. The woman threw up her hands and gave out a frustrated cry, "That doesn't tell me—"

            Kagome stopped in mid sentence, and stared at the grinning child as the pieces fell into place, "You couldn't be."

            "I am" she nodded, "I am Destiny."

            The miko looked at the girl as if she was crazy, "That doesn't make sense! How could you be the embodiment of destiny?!"

            Destiny sighed shaking her head, "It's very complicated, but I'll try and simplify it for you."

And thus the child, who had confused the priestess for several days, began to explain one of the most confusing aspects of life, "I could never explain exactly who I am, that is too far deep a question and too complex for you to think of right now. Know that I am Destiny. How am I personified, I can never explain to you. It is far too intricate in a supernatural sense to put in easy terms. I can tell you that I am a being that upholds destiny within life. I am the keeper and the writer of it. 

"To help complete your destiny, Higurashi, I was forced to take on a concrete form. I led you to Naraku and I led you to Inuyasha and Kikyo. I did so by creating a physical body for you to interact with."

            Kagome curiously scrutinized the small being, "Did you take a shape of an actual living girl?"

"Yes, but you don't know her. She comes from a different time. I chose a child's body so you would not be so suspicious of me" the supernatural creature spoke while fingering the silk kimono.

Looking up back at the miko the skeptical child asked, "Kagome, do you believe in destiny?"

Chuckling weakly the woman replied, "That's a complicated question you yourself present."

Leaning back her head, Kagome sighed, "Do I believe in destiny? I believe I'm in control of my life, but I don't think my appearance in the Feudal Era was a complete accident, either."

"Well destiny is not absolute as some people like to think," the child proclaimed, "Destiny is something that rules over all life. It is believed that people write their own fate, and that does hold some truce, but not completely. The confusing thing about destiny is that it is flexible.

"Destiny is written for an individual before even their birth. Most of what happens to a person in their life is already laid out. Foe example, you walking down a hall to a class and you meet someone who asks you to do something for them. You were destined to walk down that hall and cross paths with that individual. 

"Now do you help the person by doing something for them?

"That where the flexibility begins to bend. 

"That is where choice lies. You have been given the gift of choice, do the favor or not. If you choose to do the favor you will continue on a certain path, your destiny, but if you deny the favor, then you choose a different path and a different destiny."

Kagome scowled, "I don't think I follow."

Destiny shrugged, "Okay, lets say you do the favor. You go retrieve the person's books from another classroom, in doing so you run into a school bully and are beaten. However, if you refuse to help the person, you go to class and end the day without a bruise."

The miko's eyebrow rose, "Is destiny so irrelevant?"

"Not always" the child laughed, "Sometimes it far more dramatic, such as your arrival in the Feudal Era."

"I knew it" Kagome breathed softly. 

Destiny nodded, "You were destined to come to this time and from there you were given multiple choices. Becoming friends with Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and many others. You helped many. Destiny has followed you all the way to the present moment. 

"Destiny is a like a road you can never step off of or turn around on. You walk down it and suddenly it divides into a fork, where you must make a choice on which path to take. You have no idea where those paths end or lead, but you must make a choice to continue. So you choose and walk forward into the future."

Taking a deep breath, the girl said, "You, Kagome Higurashi, have crossed into a destiny that is radically important. You are being given a choice, that will alter the destiny of countless people."

"How?" the woman asked, "How could my choice be so important?"

The child pensively nibbled on her lip, before waving her hand. Kagome blinked several times as string unraveled in mid air before her. Soon different strands of twine were strung between the two girls, some vertical, some horizontal, some diagonal, some approaching Kagome, some heading into the vastness. 

The two stood amongst the web, the priestess marveling at its sudden presence. Destiny caressed one of the lines with a thumb and forefinger, "Try to think of this as someone's destiny. It is, but one strand amongst thousands, and hardly holds more importance than the others. However, when that person makes a choice that changes their destiny the thread moves."

One end of the strand began to move further to the right. While it was moving the strand pushed against several other threads, pulling against other people's destinies.

"Sometimes a choice will not only change one person's destiny, but it might affect several others" her small emerald eyes followed the web. Waving her hand once more Destiny commanded one of the strings to crash violently throughout the web. In seconds the web was tangled around the single strand.  

Walking through the fading string, the child looked as if she was at a funeral, her face hard and stressed, "Your choice has become drastic, Higurashi. Whatever you choose to do will change not only the lives of people you know, but it will change your own time period."

Kagome frowned, "What do you mean?"

Destiny inhaled deeply, knowing what she said next would be the hardest thing for the woman to hear, "You have been contemplating it for the last few days."

"What?" she breathed, her heart speeding up. 

Emeralds locked with almonds, "You must decide what side of the well you must stay on?"

Kagome's mouth open and closed as hope flared, "Are you saying I'm not dead?"

Destiny shook her head giggling cruelly, "Oh, no you are dead, but I shall grant you life once more. Without you, both time periods will suffer."

Pointing at the older girl the child narrowed her eyes, "Once you arrive you must make your decision. Where will you remain for the rest of your life?"

"I've already made my decision on what side of the well I am staying on" Kagome sighed forlornly, spreading her arms. 

"Do you?" Destiny persisted her eyes brittle, "Do you really know if you could make that decision?"

Putting her short arms behind her back the girl began to circle the miko, "Can you live with yourself if you seal the well and remain in the future?"

Kagome immediately faced the school child, her face contorted in emotional pain, "How could I live on if I seal the well and stay in the Feudal Era, only to watch him love another?!"

"Be sure of your answer, Kagome," the child whispered harshly, "Once the well is closed, nothing, not even the jewel, can open it again." 

            The priestess stared over the girl's raven head into the endless abyss. Was she sure? Was she ready to leave everything behind? Could she let go of four years in a heartbeat? 

            "Kagome" the child called, "You already know the jewel is the way to close the well, don't you?"

            The young adult shrugged bashfully, "I never really thought about how to seal the well. I just knew I had to?" 

            Silently laughing, Destiny stared up into the woman's chocolate eyes, "You need only the last shards from Kohaku, Kouga, and Naraku for the Shikon Jewel to be complete."

            Upon hearing the demon lord's name, the miko freaked, "What happened after I was killed?! What did he do to the others?!"

            "Calm down" Destiny lifted her tiny hands, "They're fine. I took care of everything."

            Kagome became even more frightened, "What did you do?"

            "Once Naraku killed you, all of friends went suicidal and attacked at once" the little girl began, "If I hadn't intervened they would have been dead in moments. With the shards, Naraku has become a force they could never defeat, so I sent him away."

            "What?" the miko gasped.

            "It wasn't easy" the girl began to sound more like child again, "You've grown so strong, Kagome. When he attacked, he used so much of his powers that he hurt himself. That's what I did to help."

            Destiny grinned acting boastful, "Naraku was so surprised he retreated with his tail between his legs, leaving everyone in shock."

            Her small innocence face became stone, "He'll be back, though. Just before the next dawn he'll return, and he will hold nothing back. He'll kill all of you."

            "How are we suppose to fight him, if he's so strong?" the time traveler became frantic, "You already said there was no way to defeat him."

            "I never said that" Destiny grinned, "I said your friends had no way to conquer him. You, Kagome, were the one brought to the past to defeat him."

            Her stomach dropped to her knees, the air in her chest leaving, "Me? How?"

            The child hung her head sadly, "I have said too much already. You'll figure it out when the time comes. I'm only here to help you understand your choice for after the battle."

            Kagome scowled, "My choice, on what side of the well I stay on, is more important than me figuring out how to defeat Naraku?"

            The girl grinned, her green eyes laughing, "In a word, yes."

            Her shoulders dropped, "You can't tell me what will happen if I choose the Feudal Era or the Future?" 

            "No" she replied easily. 

            Kagome let out a small groan, "So what now?"

            Destiny smiled, a beautiful smile that lit up her face, "You will return to the Feudal Era. You will wake and it will be the dawn of that night. Naraku will arrive a few hours before the next morning, be prepared not only to fight, but also to make a choice."

            "My friends" the miko jumped, suddenly thinking about the battle, "You say we will win, but will everyone make it out alright?"

            Destiny cast down her eyes, "If you do not defeat Naraku quickly he could kill all of your friends."

            Kagome clutched her jacket, just above her heart. Everything was riding on her. The world was giving way and she had to hold it up. 

            _'I don't think I can do it. I'm not strong enough.'_

            Their eyes met one last time and Destiny softly gave her farewell, "You have one day, Kagome. Use your time wisely. If you don't make a choice by dawn the choice will be made for you. Good luck, and goodbye."

            In that same moment when the child spoke that last word, a song began to drift into Kagome's ears, soft and enchanting. As her brown eyes slid close, the miko recalled it was the same song Destiny had sung the last time they met. She felt as if she was falling, almost floating as the words began to grow faint. As she heard the last syllable disappear, burning pain stabbed into her body, not a single inch overlooked in its assault. Kagome's jaw clenched, her nerves shooting off. 

            She let out a scream seconds before blackness pierced her. 


	10. It's Never Good to Gamble

~ They own Inuyasha, I don't. I own this story, you don't. ~

The Choice of Destiny

By angelwings

Chapter 10 ~ It's Never Good to Gamble

            Air bellowed into her lungs and the circulation in her blood stream took a jump. Her heart began pounding mercilessly against her ribs. Kagome arched her back as she gave out a shuddered wail of surprise. Her eyes flew open, her vision wild and erratic. 

            Where was she?

            "Kagome!"

            A voice, was she still with Destiny? Or was she back in the Feudal Era?

            She felt hands pushing down on her arms and legs. Kagome blinked trying desperately to see. Blurs of shapes and colors swirled in her vision, a dominant gold taking over her sight. Heat hit her face like a newly opened furnace. Wincing she turned away unable to bear the burning singe. 

            "Kagome? Can you see?"

            _'Was that Miroku?'_

            Weakly raising her hand to wave away the gold lava, she felt someone grab her fingers in a rigid vice. A thumb rubbed her palm tenderly as another hand brush back her hair. She blinked furiously, irritated with her lack of sight.

            "Kagome, can you hear us?" 

            _'Inuyasha.'_

            The time traveler closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, _'Stay calm. Settle down and take your time.'_

            Slowly opening her eyes, figures appeared into her field of vision. She spotted Sango, Mirkou, several wolf demons, etc. Leisurely she swept her focus over the three-dozen faces staring down at her. She recognized every figure as a familiar friend, but it was his hansom face that stood out amongst them all, encompassing her entire attention. 

His gold eyes were wide, rimmed with redness. His chest was violently heaving as if he had been running for hours. With her head in her lap she felt every lift pressed against the crown of her ebony locks. Sweat was dripping from his face, his pearl locks stuck to his cheeks. 

Hope was sparkling in his amber eyes. 

"How are you feeling, Kagome?" his voice was hoarse, nearly breaking. 

The miko licked her cracked lips. Her throat felt so dry, "I guess I feel alright. How am I—b"

Gold light was glowing behind the wall of people, teasing her into curiosity. Rising feebly from the hanyou's lap, the miko sought to see past the mountain range of people. What was that?

Scratching metal could be heard just before a deep, elegant voice rumbled, "She's alive, now, for my payment."

Inuyasha bristled behind her, "Can you just wait a moment?!"

Kagome recognized the voice easily, "Sesshoumaru?"

The curtain of people stepped back in irritation as the pearl noble strode towards her. His gold eyes glanced at her for a mere fraction of a moment, as if to make sure she was recovering. He came to her side finally slipping into ignorance as he glared at his brother. Kagome stared at the man's waist, his scarab glaring in the morning sun. 

Tenseiga, . . . the sword of life and healing. 

Her eyes lifted to stare at his rocky face, _'He saved my life. B-but why?'_

Two pair of hands grabbed the shaky priestess's arms hauling her to her feet. As soon as her tennie shoes were planted on the ground, Kagome was crushed into Sango's chest. 

"Never do that again, Kagome Higurashi!" the huntress roared, her chin trembling, "If you ever do I swear I'll never forgive you!"

Afraid her sister would disappear the moment she would release her, Sango tightened her hold. Miroku smiled at the miko's confused face, "You gave us quite a scare, Kagome."

"Kagome!" the fox demon gave a sobbing wail as he scurried onto her shoulder, pushing his wet face into her neck, "We thought you would never wake up!"

_'Neither did I.'_

Kouga walked up next, his face in a wide grin, "I never doubted her return. We, after all, are destined to be together."

Flinching, the priestess's mouth dropped, _'destined. . .'_

Immediately the woman tore out of the demon hunter's arms and frantically looked at the sky. The golden belly of the sun was peeking above the treetops. 

Whirling around Kagome grabbed her sister's arms and cried urgently, "How long?! How long have I been out?!"

Drawing back from the sudden close proximity, Sango stuttered, "Er-r, it's been several hours. It's the next day already."

**_You have one day, Kagome . . ._**

The time traveler swallowed, _'Till dawn. Twenty-four hours. He'll return.'_

"Hand it over, brother" Sesshoumaru hissed growing more annoyed having to wait, "I wish to leave." ****

Still in shock, Kagome turned towards the Lord of the Western Lands, "You saved me?"

The two glaring brothers turned to acknowledge the priestess, their stances rigid. 

"Don't think I'm growing soft, little girl" the taller demon grumbled, "I only did it in exchange for Tessiaga."

Her heart hammered in her ears as Kagome snapped her eyes onto the hanyou. Inuyasha was staring at the ground. His face set in a scowl, but his cheeks were a slight pink. 

_'You did that for me?'_

The woman faced her beloved, limp, "How could you do that?"

His gold eyes lifted, pain staring straight into heart. He looked broken, a precious item dropped in a moment of confusion. 

How could he do it? 

Kagome knew he loved her in a small way. Somewhere within his chest there was a tiny place for her. Since they had become partners, he had watched over her like a guardian angel. His was always close by, his gold eyes following her. Was it out of duty? Out of friendship? She dared to dream of love, but she never indulged in that fantasy. If she did, her relationship with him became even more difficult. 

Did he want to protect her? She wished it were true.

She never thought, however, that he would take his father's sword, which he defended viciously for four years, and trade it for her life. It was unthinkable. 

_'He would have done it for Kikyo.'_

As that small random thought flashed in her head, her fluttering stomach became a stone.

Kagome scowled, "You know the sword is the only thing that keeps you from turning into full demon. To trade it you give up your very freedom, Inuyasha!"

Over the last four years, Inuyasha had fallen prey to his demon side. His full demonic self slowly grew with each incident. Gradually his mind was being taken over by his roaring blood refusing him free will. When the sword slipped from his hands, his actions would be driven more by his thick blood than his mind, his human side fading from his heart. 

The hanyou began to pull the sheath from his side, his brother impatiently waiting for his payment. 

The sword was is lifejacket. The second the Tessiaga left his possession his demon side would take over. Inuyasha would be lost, forever. 

"You can't give it up!" Kagome yelled hurrying towards the two relatives. Everyone stepped back surprised by her sudden life. Seconds ago she was laying on the ground half-blind and wild, now she was marching over to the Dog Lord her face burning with determination.

Inuyasha quickly got in her path, "Calm down, wench. I know what I'm doing."

_'Not now!'_

"SIT BOY!" she shouted on reflex. The startled hanyou cried out as his rosary threw him face-first to the ground. Without hesitation, Kagome walked over her protector's immobilized form and got into the Sesshoumaru's face.

She didn't care at that moment what Destiny had said. She knew getting into the demon's personal space was walking into the lion's den, but she ignored her rational side and prominently poked the white haired man in the chest, "I refuse to allow this exchange to happen. It was done without my consent and therefore I annul and void this agreement."

_'Yep, Kagome, that'll stop him from taking the sword.'_

"Your consent was not needed, girl!" he hissed, gold eyes narrowing in anger, "The exchange is permissible."

"What if I didn't want to come back?!" the miko bluffed.

"Sessh, please, do not be crossed with her" a young feminine voice spoke up from behind the demon. 

Kagome easily recognized the speaker, and looked around the lord. Standing a few feet away was a twelve-year-old girl. Her hair was pulled into a long graceful ponytail and the child was wearing a cotton orange and white kimono. She looked like a child, but her eyes spoke of maturity beyond such an age. 

The priestess smiled, "Rin."

Sesshoumaru glared at his youthful aid, the only human he allowed by his side, "Must I remind you, Rin, to not call me that name."

The girl nodded her smile sweet and innocent, "Must you have their sword, Sessh? You have no need of it. You cannot even wield Tessiaga without a human arm."

His fangs protruded from his upper lip in an angry snarl, "Now when I have a chance to take it, you think I should pass up the chance?!"

"The agreement was made" Inuyasha said walking towards them interrupting the quarrel, "I've sworn over the sword to him. I will not go against my word."

His claws again reached for the sheath dragging it from his waist. Kagome bit her lip. She would never allow for the sword to be handed over. 

Frantically, Kagome swirled back around, "What if I said that my life is worth far greater than that sword?"

Everyone stopped. Confusion swelled as all eyes stayed on the time traveler. What was she going on about? 

_'Work fast, girl!'_

The miko scowled, "Well, Sesshoumaru? If I prove bringing me back to life was in your favor, then will you agree to let Inuyasha keep Tessiaga?"

Had she gone crazy? There was nothing that would convince the demon lord it had helped him to have her back alive. 

"Nothing you say could possibly interest me, girl," his gold eyes scruntized her, unconsciously waiting for an answer. 

_'Okay, you got his interest.'_

The miko shifted her weight to the other foot, "Let's just say I am the key to finally getting rid of Naraku."

Tension snapped overhead. All stared at the small woman unable to follow what she was saying. How could she possibly know that she was the one who would stop Naraku? 

Kagome licked her lips again, the dry feeling returning.

The noble burst into a laugh, his voice bouncing over the land, "You are telling me that you are the person who can stop Naraku, when hours ago he killed you with barely an effort?"

She rolled back her shoulders and lifted her chin, "No matter how strong you are Sesshoumaru you can never hurt him. Believe when I say I'm the last offense we have."

"WE?!" he shouted incredulously, "I'm not part of your group out to take down Naraku. I never was!"

Kagome smirked inwardly, "It doesn't matter if you are part of group or not. We have the same interests."

He glared, "What interest do I have in the demon's demise? I don't care if he's killed or not."

"I think your lying through your teeth" she replied, crossing her arms. 

_'Now you're really walking on a limb, Kagome.'_

Her heart was speeding up, "Naraku has tricked you. He's crossed your lands on a number of accounts. He even treated you as his puppet, his lackey."

His eyes were narrowing, within his golden orbs conflict was brewing. He was inwardly agreeing with her. Carefully, she continued, "He hasn't done anything severe towards you, Sesshoumaru, but soon his thirst for power will become dry once more. He'll have to quench his lust by taking up other demon's land. One by one the four corners will be overthrown. Sooner or later he will come and take your home."

"He will never set foot in my domain!" the demon roared, his eyes turning scarlet. 

"He already has!" she snapped, ignoring how angry the demon looked, "When he first went to you, bringing a human arm for your use, he crossed your borders. He has already manipulated you!"

             Kagome's heart constricted. Everyone had fallen to him. Even her strings had been pulled. She had walked right into his trap last night. She had been fooled, even after years of watching and knowing his trickery. 

            "Sesshoumaru, even if you don't care about what he's planning, you're still involved" she spoke softly, her frustration slipping away, "Everyone is."

_'Roll the die, and take the chance.'_

Her almond eyes slipped from his face to fall on the young child standing behind him, "If Naraku comes, he will kill anyone, or use them as slave labor." 

            The demon tried his best to hide the flinch his heart gave. He knew she was speaking in a way he could only interpret. If Naraku came he would use Rin against him, whether it meant her torture or death. It wasn't hard to notice his favor towards the child. Anyone could see it. 

            He would do anything to protect her. 

            "How do you know that you are the only one who can defeat Naraku?" 

            He would even give up the sword for her. 

            Kagome gave him a weak smile, "It doesn't matter, because no matter what I say you won't accept my word."

            She lifted her chin trying to look older than she was. To him she was a child. 

            "How about we do this" she continued, "When Naraku returns at dawn, if I am not the one who kills him, the sword is yours. If I am the one however the sword stays with Inuyasha."

            She held her breath, praying against all odds that he would accept the terms. All he had to do was refuse and the sword would be out of her reach.

            He stared hard into her eyes, searching for deception. In all honesty, he had given up hope on the sword. His brother had reached a level of strength that matched his. Without a human limb connected to his body he could not even hold Tessiaga's hilt. Both points had pushed his desire for the sword from his heart. 

When he had stumbled upon his brother, it had been in pursuit of Naraku, not the sword. 

He had been curious, like his brother, about the events going on in the mountains. His hunt had led him to the battlefield finding his half-brother going out of his mind because his human companion was dead. Sesshoumaru had known the hanyou had feelings for the girl, but he was surprised by the mutt's desperation when he had offered the Tessiaga in exchange for the girl. He had consented easily, although unsure how he could use his prize. 

Now, this deal was offered.

 The sword was useless now to him. It was best to wait just a while longer. 

"Agreed" he finally said, his voice dead, "but if he doesn't arrive at dawn, as you say, the sword belongs to me."

Kagome let out a deep breath, "Thank you." 

"I don't think you'll thank me tomorrow when I take the sword" he hissed brushing pass her. The miko watched him continue towards the forest, heading away from their group. Part of her had hoped he would stay with them, wanting to fight the demon king. They would need as many fighters as possible. 

And just maybe sibling rivalry might end. 

She didn't know how she could beat Naraku, but she knew what ever she had to do, she would need support. 

Rin followed, only stopping to give the priestess a short bow, and thanks. Afterwards she trotted back to her savior's side fondly taking a hold of his empty sleeve. Before long an aggravated Jaken appeared from the edge of the forest, his hand clutching the reigns to a two headed lizard demon. Obviously he had been employed to watch the demon while his master had gone through negotiations. The poor little frog didn't look happy about being left behind.

_'I wonder where he will go now. He can't go too far if he wants to find out if Naraku arrives tomorrow.'_

"Kagome?"

She slowly turned, her eyes meeting three-dozen other pairs. She saw their confusion, their unsaid questions. Feelings of doubt, fear, and even hope hanging on the bare wisps of their mind filtered into her brain. 

She never thought she was much of a leader. Guess it was time to find out if she could be one. 

__________________________________________

            Her hand tenderly rubbed the tree bark, sunlight shining in her dark hair. Kagome stared into the large branches, her vision blurring.  This was the spot most welcomed in her heart. Whenever she stood beneath the god tree she could sense tranquility, one that enveloped her in frozen moment of security.  She desperately needed this feeling. She needed to feel secure while her world was shaking out of control.

She sucked in a shuddering gasp and pressed her forehead against the brittle trunk, "I don't know what to do."

            _'Twenty-four hours is not enough time to decide eternity.'_

            Collapsing to her knees the woman stared at her tennie shoes. Leaning her head back she stared through the swaying green leaves seeing a deep blue sky. 

            _'You're my connection, my foundation. In both times there you stand, a viewer of this tormented story. You have watched each chapter end and begin, seeing the characters battle the greatest of fights._

_            'Tell me then, dear God Tree who my family has kept sacred through the generations, what I do now. What path do I take?_

_            'You've watched over my family. You sheltered my parents during their courtship. It is under this spot, years from now, that my mother will accept my father's hand. _

_            'My entire history lies at this place, where you grow._

_            'My mother once said when she stood beneath this tree she knew her heart could never lie.'_

_            'That's why I'm here. Open me up and let me to see the truth of my heart.'_

Slowly she closed her eyes, ready to accept anything she learned.__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            _"So that's it" Sango asked, her eyes watering, "After four years, you have to leave."_

_            "Not exactly" the miko whispered, head bowed, "I have to decide. I need to find my place."_

_            "IT's here!" the huntress cried crawling next to her sister, "You must know this."_

_            Miroku quickly sat between the girls feeling the tension grow. Wrapping his arms around the young warrior the monk whispered soothingly, "She knows that, Sango, but she also knows she has a life back in the future, as well."_

_            They all wished the young time traveler would stay with them, but it was never their choice to choose, nor was it something they wished to think about. The woman pulled away dejected, "I know, but I wish she didn't have to make such a choice. I wish she could have both worlds."_

_            Kagome smiled feebly, "So do I."_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

            Kagome bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            _"Take as long as you need."_

            _"Go ahead, Kagome. We'll tend to our injuries and prepare ourselves while you go decide. Don't worry. We'll support whatever your decision is."_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Any decision.

            Any decision I make, I will still lose. 

            Kagome bit her lip, _'All that matters is him.'_

Her body convulsed, unable to keep back the anguish squeezing out into a snivel,_ 'And I can't even have him!'_

            Clutching her jeans, she sucked in a deep breath, _'I want him. I want only him.'_

            _'Without him, I'll never be happy. It's so pointless to decide on anything else._

She wrapped her jacket tightly around her trembling form, never noticing the warm heat of summer. 

_            'No matter what I decide I'll be left empty handed. Sure, they'll be other men offering me a place by their side, but I'll never want them._

_            'Inuyasha . . ._

_            'Why did I ever walk into your life? . . . _

_            'Why did you have to imprint yourself onto my heart? Even after fifty years, you can't accept this soul, this soul that would die for you. _

_            'I was destined to fall in love with you, but never to be you. _

_            'You and Kikyo were deep in love, but you were tricked into betrayal. You lost yourselves until that day I released you. She must go to Hell and I must go to future. _

_            'And you . . .' _

_            'You . . ._

_            'You need to stay alive. I want you to have a life of happiness and love, something you barely have experienced. I want you to have something that didn't hold bitterness, sadness, or regret. I want you to feel something beyond the hurt in this world. _

_            'I want you to laugh._

_            'I want you to smile._

_            'I want you to be happy, even without me.'_

            She went rigid as a thought clicked, fresh tears sliding down her face, _'I know what to do.'_

            "Kagome?" 

            Her heart slammed into the back of her throat. What was he doing here?

He knew she was to be left alone. They had all agreed she would be left to her thoughts. So why was he looking for her? 

            She quickly stood just as he stepped into the clearing. She was surprised by his disheveled look. His hair was unruly, its shine was gone by dirt and mud. Gold orbs were rimmed by pinkness and rings drooped below his eyes, probably a reaction from the last days of stress and lack of sleep. His robes were tattered, blood soaking throughout the weave. As for injuries, he supported quite a few though none severe for a demon. 

            Rushing to his side, the priestess scolded him, "Inuyasha, you need to rest. I don't care if you can heal quickly and don't need as much sleep as a human, but you look like you've visited Hell."

            "I guess you could say that I have" he mumbled desolately his eyes studying the ground that kissed his toes. 

            She brushed away a few dirt clods off his shoulder, "What is it that you came looking for me about? Someone need me?"

            He opened his mouth, turning to her, but only silence answered her question. Embarrassed, the dog demon stared at the ground again, his bangs shadowing his face. 

            "Inuyasha?" she mumbled, ducking her head to see his amber eyes, "Why did you come looking for me?"

            "I-I wanted to say goodbye" his voice wavered as he looked up into her eyes. 

            Kagome's throat squeezed shut, "Goodbye?"

            His ears drooped sadly, "We're both leaving after the battle." 

            She went numb as she lost focus, "Yes. Yes, I guess we are."

            _'You will go to Hell with Kikyo and I will return to my time. It's what you want.'_

He swallowed, his eyes glancing every so often at his feet, "I wanted to make sure I said a few things before we parted."

            It was time to let go. Tears were surging to her eyes, _'These last few days I have cried more than I have every done in my lifetime.'_

            Inuyasha bit his lip, his fang protruding into view, "Please, don't cry, Kagome."

            "I'm sorry" she muttered, rubbing her palm across her face, "Don't mind me, just say what you have to."

            She didn't want to sound cruel, but already her decision was hard. If he said too much right now she would never be able to let go of the Feudal Era. She bowed her head, too nervous to look at his face.

            "Kagome, I want you to understand that you showed me a lot these four years" his voice was tentative and shaky, "More than I want to admit."

            She knew this was difficult for him. He never was able to confess having feelings for anyone, especially her. He had lost all hope of self-expression throughout his early years from the prejudice hate provided by the humans and demons. After years of rejection, his hide had grown thick. No emotion could ever enter and destroy him, and no emotion could ever escape and show his softness.

            "You-you and I" he continued his voice a little stronger, "made a good team. I honestly valued your help."

            She swallowed her sob, _'A shard detector. That's all I've been to you. I had hoped for more, but I guess I knew better.'_

            "You always watched out for others, forgetting yourself" his tone was growing firmer, more confident, "Your one of the strongest person's I have ever known. I actually have been jealous of you at times."

            She smirked looking up at his burning gold eyes, "You jealous of me?"

            He chuckled timidly, "I wish I could do what you do."

            "Like purify the jewel shards" she grumbled on reflex. Kagome grimaced, wishing she hadn't said something so blunt and cold. 

            "Sometimes" he admitted quietly, showing his back to her, "I did wish I could purify the jewel like you, but it's more about your personality, Kagome. You can let people see things about yourself. You open up. You can express yourself so naturally. I never have been able to do that."

            His eyes squeezed shut, "I'm not the easiest person to get along with, never have been. I'm too afraid. I just can't open up."

            She put a hand on his shoulder, disturbing him. He looked at her, his eyes withdrawing from their open welcome. He was already afraid of saying too much. Seeing the conflict within him, Kagome smiled slightly and whispered, "You're doing it now."

            "But its so hard" he growled frustrated, "I automatically begin yelling."

            "Give it time," she mumbled slowly changing her gaze to the God Tree, "When we first met you were a jerk to me, but now you are confessing things you never would have before. It might have taken four years of coaxing, but you have changed a bit. You're comfortable around the others as well as me. You're still a jerk, but that's your personality."

            Inuyasha smirked, feeling once again comfortable, "Wench."

            She laughed softly, her dim eyes dancing. 

            Kagome still felt empty. She had hoped he would say something that was affectionate, something that admit to some feeling in his heart. He had handed no warmth, only a few complements that a brother would have given. 

            Bit by bit, her hand slipped from his shoulder and she began to walk away. She couldn't bear to stand there any longer without letting loose a few tears. She didn't want him to see her crying. He didn't deserve to feel guilty. 

            "Kagome" he breathed, urgent. 

            She turned sideways, her jacket flapping at her waist. Inuyasha's hand had been moments ago reaching out for her. His eyes were intense looking straight down into the depths of her almond ones, "Promise me something."

            _'Promise?'_

            The miko barely nodded, her lower lip held between her teeth. He gulped nervously, "Promise you won't forget-forget us."

            Her chin trembled as she nodded a second time, _'How could I forget you? How could I forget any of this?'_

            She wanted to run to him, to cry into his shoulder. She wanted to feel his arms around her, but she didn't dare go to him. She would break. 

            Instead, he chose to ignore her need to walk away. 

            Shakily his hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her fully towards him. Her brown eyes lifted to connect with his fiery cinders. What was that looming in his eyes? Fear? Reluctance? 

            "I promise you" he mumbled his tone shaky with his internal clash, "I promise you, Kagome, that I'll protect you. I won't let anything happen to you. I'll get you home safe."

            _'I know you will.'_

            The priestess bowed her head, her sniveling growing too loud for the demon to ignore, "Please, don't cry, Kagome."

            His arms tentatively wrapped around her, almost afraid that he would shatter the miko. She nearly moaned in torture as he hugged her to his chest. He had hugged her this way several times during their time together. Usually he did this when he was emotionally a wreck. In his weakness, he would possessively hide her in his embrace, trying to fend off the world. But right now, he was calm, maybe a little nervous. He understood exactly what he was doing as he held her.

            Then why was she to suffer this lingering want for his love?

            Why did he have to hold her like she had dreamed for the last years, only to deny whatever love she wanted?

            "Please, don't cry, Kagome" he mumbled into her hair, as always, uneasy with her tears. 

            Her hands clenched his bellowing sleeves, her face rubbing into his shoulder. Tears soaked into his clothes as she whispered, "I just can't stop crying."


	11. Hold Fast

I didn't create Inuyasha! 

I did create this! 

Remember no stealing. 

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings

Chapter 11 ~ Hold Fast

            For the millionth time that night she looked up at the starlit sky. Biting her lip, Kagome ran her hand over the quiver, counting the feather tips. Her friends sat just below the rise of the hill, her family closest to her. 

She was officially the bait. No one had wanted to accept the time traveler's strategy, but Kagome refused to do it any other way. 

_'He'll come for me. That's what he wants.'_

She claimed that it was a way to draw him out, to let her be alone at the well when he appeared. Actually her intentions were to keep him as far away from her family as possible. Destiny had revealed that the time traveler was in no danger. She would live through whatever ordeal was released tonight. She just had to handle Naraku. 

Kagome swallowed as she saw the first bit of warm colors drifting into the sky. 

It was time. 

The priestess readied her bow, loosely aiming the point at the ground. He could come from any direction. 

She exhaled, trying to relax. Her heart was hammering and her joints were locked. Darting her eyes over the landscape, she shifted her weight. The air was heavy, thickening in layers on her skin. Her hand trembled, her arrow jostling noisily in its place. 

"Keep it together," the miko mumbled, her jaw clenching, "You can do this."

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_She wasn't ready to tell them her decision. If she told them she was leaving then they would be unfocused during the battle. A mistake might cost lives. _

_            Straightening her back, the time traveler brought her focus back to the awaiting army. She swallowed and lifted her chin. _

_            "Let's prepare."_

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Abruptly a searing pain crashed into her head, and the woman pressed her brow into her palm. It spiraled wildly, burrowing into her skull. Shards were approaching at a painful rate! Hissing on a breath of air, the priestess mumbled, "He's here!"

Pushing off from the well, the miko lifted her weapon. 

The bow was knocked aside before she ever got in her shot. Her eyes followed her weapon as it somersaulted through the air. Before she could even start to turn another, a force rammed into her exposed cheek. Upon impact she groaned and soared backwards, her spine arching. 

_'He's not in the mood to play.'_

In a wild, painful tumble the woman landed fifty yards away from the well. 

Immediately she scrambled to her feet, her face turning up to see the improved Naraku charging her. 

_'Oh, my god!"_

Inuyasha jumped in front of her his sword slicing at the demon's head. Pulling apart the two demons glared, eyes churning gold and red. Cracking his knuckles in anticipation, the dark hybrid smirked, "Always thinking you can stop me, even when the odds are about to fall down on you."

"You will not touch her," the hanyou roared, his eyes sputtering flashes of scarlet. 

Kagome got to her feet, herself rooted behind her beloved. 

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"Inuyasha, when Naraku shows, I need you to distract him."

_            The hanyou nodded. _

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            Kagome bit her lip, _'Great. Already things are screwing up. I lost my bow!"_

            The miko whirled, seeking out her weapon, but she barely swept a glance over the hill when the sickle's cold chain wrapped around her neck.  The blade glinted as it whirled around, shortening with each wrap. The only thing that kept the sickle from slicing off her head was the grace of luck, the blade's ridge clattering against the metal links. Kagome scrambled to undo the lasso seconds before she was yanked backwards. The woman didn't fight against the motion fearing her neck might break from the pressure.

            When she hit the ground, automatically the priestess grabbed the part of the chain that wasn't wrapped around her neck. If Kohaku pulled again on the sickle her neck would never feel the brute of the force. 

She dug her heels into the earth and strangled the chain. Kohaku glared at her, his eyes empty of life. The chain grew taunt as their hands began to tug. Her tennie shoes slid forward. Kagome groaned, as she pulled hard on the clinking chain. 

"KOHAKU!" Sango appeared from nowhere and tackled her demon-possessed brother to the ground. The chain was lost from the hunter's grip as the two siblings rolled through the ground. 

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_            'The shard in Kohaku's back must be retrieved" Kagome instructed while rolling the incomplete Shikon Jewel in her fingertips. _

_            Miroku glanced nervously at the demon huntress in the corner, "What about Kohaku? Do you think he will die if we remove the shard, Kagome?"_

_            "I'm praying that the shard has been in his back so long that it has been given enough time to heal his body. We can only hope that once the shard is removed he will survive."_

_            Sango was nearly in tears. This had been her greatest fear for the last years. The day would come to remove the shard from her brother, and now was that time. She had to be strong. _

_            Lifting her boomerang strap over her head, the demon hunter gave the priestess a determined look, "He's my brother. I'll do the honor."_

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            Unraveling the weapon from her neck, Kagome hurried to the rolling fighters. All she could see was a tangle of limbs. Doing her best to avoid the swings and kicks, the miko put the boy into a headlock Sango had taught her. Automatically the huntress was at her feet, sword in hand. 

            Kagome stared at her sister through the corner of her eyes, seeing the slight hesitation in the warrior's hand. Setting her jaw the huntress growled, "Where is it?"

            The miko's hand passed over the fighter's back, the shard visible only to her, "Here."

            Kohaku let out the most heart-wrenching scream as the sword dug into his flesh. Ebony liquid gushed from the wound and both maidens feared it was too late for their friend. Kagome dug her fingers pulling the wound further open. Blackness covered her hands and the odor invaded her nostrils. A dark pink shine broke through the cloud of darkness floating over the gouge. 

            _'The shard.'_

            Kohaku went limp and Sango lifted her shaking hand. Her fingers uncurled revealing the piece to the puzzle. Kagome immediately took the shard, her miko powers purifying the darkness within the rosy broken glass. 

            Both of their eyes fell to the form supported between them. 

            The boy was lifeless hanging in the women's arms. His fingertips were limp against his weapon's handle. Sango sniveled quietly as she cradled her brother's body to her chest, "Please, wake up. Please, wake up, Kohaku."

            Kagome's eyes filled with tears, "I was so sure. I thought he would make it. I'm sorry, Sango."

            The woman shuddered, "It's not your fault, Kagome. Perhaps it better he died this way, never knowing of the murderers he committed."

            It was a bitter acceptance. 

            Reaching for her sister, the miko whispered, "I'm so sorry, Sango."

            "Go, Kagome" the demon killer said, her face already flushed from crying, "Go do what you have to. I'll be fine for now."

            It was not time for lagging. Kagome shifted, uncomfortable with leaving the woman in such a broken condition, "Are you sure?"

            "GO!" Sango shouted, trying her hardest to motivate the time traveler, "You have to stop Naraku before he destroys another life." 

            The miko bit her lip. Pulling out her necklace from under her green tank top, Kagome gently replaced the broken shard with her globe of the Shikon Jewel. 

            The rosy glow enveloped the three figures lighting up the entire field. Inuyasha looked up from his spot on the ground, "LOOK OUT!"

            Still holding the warm power in her hands, the time traveler snapped her gaze from the jewel. Naraku was heading towards her again, his eyes burning like a pair of red headlights. 

            Kagome immediately stepped in front of her unprepared sibling, _'My job is to protect my family.'_

            His arm stretched forward as he ran towards her. Kagome stiffened as the yards between them shortened. Naraku was almost close enough to take her neck in a vice hold when he was knocked to the ground by the impact of an arrow hitting his shoulder.  

            Kikyo already had another arrow notched. Aiming from one hundred yards away the priestess easily got her other arrow in the lord's injured arm. 

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            _"Whatever you can do to help, Kikyo, we would appreciate the assistance."_

_            The dead corpse nodded, uncaring._

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            Kagome smiled her gratitude towards her mirror, and the reflection nodded in response. The time traveler faced her enemy as he yanked out the two short spears. He scowled at the woman, before lurching at her. 

            The girl tried to dodged, yet his foot got in the way of her side. Ribs broke upon contact and Kagome ripped into the ground, her jacket sleeve coming off at the seams. The miko sucked in a deep breath trying to hold back the scream. Clutching her side the miko pulled herself to her knees. Looking over her shoulder she saw Naraku already five feet away from her. 

            _'God, he's faster than anything I've seen!'_

            Throbbing fear filled her chest as Kagome realized her entire back was exposed to him. Just before his hand could release a fatal attack a tiny set of jaws latched onto the man's neck, bringing him to the ground. A fury of reddish-brown fur was all over the fused demon, biting and clawing. Naraku arched his back, roaring a violent earthquake. 

Grabbing his attacker the man threw the being to the ground. 

            The creature rolled across the earth and righted itself hissing threateningly. Blue fire flew out from under the brown fox enveloping him. His red eyes flared daring his opponent to charge his unbreakable shield of cerulean. 

             Staring in awe of the new transformation, the girl could barely pant out her son's name, "Shippo?"

            "Run, Kagome!" the fox hollered, his voice slightly deeper in his demon form.

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            _The hanyou glared at the small fox demon, '"Your responsible for Kagome's protection."_

_            Shippo lifted his chin, "I promise he'll never get to her."_

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            Naraku whirled on her suddenly remembering his original intentions. Kagome scrambled backwards as his hands narrowed on her throat. In moments Shippo was on the demon's back gnawing at the neck behind the dark robes. The miko flattened herself against the ground as his hands barely missed her. Naraku once again ignored her trying to throw the kit off of him.

            Kagome grimaced as she watched her son desperately struggle to keep out of reach, _'I was suppose to have my bow, but if I don't hurry—Shippo will"_

Her mouth fell open, her throat letting out a scream as her son flew into the stone well, yards away, "SHIPPO!"      

            Red orbs snapped back to her. The wolves were her next rescuers coming in from all sides, putting her out of reach.

            "Kagome, hurry and move" Kouga pulled her off the ground, away from the murderous slaughter. His eyes never left his brothers as they began to thud to the earth, lifeless. 

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            _"Kouga, you and your pack will be the back up in case Naraku tries anything."_

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            Ignoring the grief for his family, the wolf leader pushed the girl aside, "Get your bow."

            She stumbled, unable to look away from the charging Kouga and flying corpses, _'This is all wrong! No one was supposed to die. It's happening too fast!'_

            Inuyasha landed amongst the fighters swiping at the morbid creature. 

            She was putting everyone endanger again. 

            _'Darn it, Kagome! Stop playing around! Get over there!"_

            Forgetting about her lack of weaponry, Kagome pumped her legs. Kouga was thrown behind her, collapsing in a disorganized heap. 

            She was in charge of this battle. A general did not sit on the sidelines! 

            Kagome jumped over several dead bodies, her eyes focused on the towering monster that was battling her love. Inuyasha slammed into the ground, his fangs bared in a painful grimace. 

            Kagome failed to see the light springing from jewel bouncing around her neck. Her entire focus was centered on the creature that had brought so much suffering to the world. Though it had been only a few short days since Naraku had set his sight on her, Kagome felt as if she had always been his arch foe. 

            She was responsible to stop him. 

            No one else was meant to suffer! 

            She could not allow it!  
            The last of her defensive soldiers disappeared as she continued to charge. Miroku and Kilala were struck by a blast of Naraku's hot powers, tossing them to the edge of the trees. Both were unconscious upon impact with the earth.

            Tears of bitter fury sparkled in her eyes as she crossed the last yards to the monster, just as the demon turned to face her.

            His head snapped away, the noise of her hand hitting his face floating above the hill. Kagome panted, her adrenaline still pumping, as she glared at him. 

            Slowly his face swiveled around to stare at her, his red-coaled eyes frowning at her. Kagome blinked when she saw a definite red mark swelling on the demon lord's face. The other's had done less damage to him than what she had just done. 

            His hands rushed forward clutching both her arms in an unmovable grip. Kagome growled loudly as he lifted her off her feet. Eyes wide with panic, Inuyasha scrambled off the ground. 

            "This is between you and I," the man's hissed, his eyes transferring pure hate into her mind. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut pushing back the throb in her skull. He held her away from his chest like a won trophy. Her breathing became laborious as his malevolent abyss of powers stretched over her. 

            Sensations of a deep freeze traveled through her blood battling the deep warmth of her soul. Sweat swelled on her brow as she began to spasm from the overload thrashing. The two forces, her purity and his emptiness, were struggling to cancel each other out. 

            "KAGOME!" 

            His faint voice penetrated through her crazed disembodiment, trying to coax her back to reality. 

            Her eyes dragged open, barely able to move. She could see him. Through a muddle haze, she saw him desperately pounding Tessiaga against a transparent black wall. He threw down his sword, now changing his tactics to claw at the shield. 

            He was helpless.

            "NO!" Inuyasha screeched, falling to his knees, "Kagome!"

            The jewel gradually was dimming, turning a shallow gray. Her inside felt as if they were collapsing. Intense needles of pain stabbed at her joints, her hands frantically trying to grab at something to stop the torment. 

            Sometime during her dizzy state, Naraku had pulled her closer to him bringing her just in reach of his chest. Both of her hands, to her sudden surprise, pressed against his robes and automatically glowed a severe pink. 

            The two foes let out a simultaneous howl of suffering, swiftly letting go of each other. Hunching over the ground, their bodies jerking involuntarily. 

            Two large holes were singed through his robes, his flesh open and bleeding. Concealing her hands from the burning air, Kagome shielding her palms with her body. Her miko powers had surfaced again, burning off her glove. 

_            'My hands are on fire!'_

            Kagome began to uncurl her fingers revealing the horrendous damage, skin peeled away and red leaking out. The slight movement sent immediate pain through her nerves. 

            The time traveler glared at the demon, prepared to accept any fate given to her. It was so obvious to her now as she watched Naraku shakily standing. He was tainted, a creation of hatred and treachery. She was his opposite, his poison. 

            Just like he was hers.  

             Of course, no one else could beat him. It wasn't by way of physical strength; it was by something less visible. To determine who would be left standing was by who was more potent, her purity or his infection.

            Kagome stumbled forward with wide-open palms. He withdrew from her, understanding he had endangered himself. 

            She refused to cower, refused to yield. 

            _'I will stop him, even if I have to walk through Hell to do it.'_

            The time traveler attacked him, throwing her feebly body, at his muscular form. Her hands flattened against his body, lava heat assaulting his flesh. He plucked at her hands, fighting the primal instinct to panic. He clawed at her, slapping at her face and scratching her arms with abnormally long fingernails. Kagome jostled around, unfazed. Pushing forward she endured each slap, each scratch, each punch and kick, with determined purpose. Her family watched from outside the prison, their face's twisted in horror at their love one taking such a beating. 

            At one point, the woman's knees struck the ground. His knee met her face, breaking her nose. Blood ran from her raw nostrils as she turned back to him, not feeling the torment of the blow. 

            Her palm vacuumed to his waist, a pink ray ripping out of his skin. Naraku screamed as a piece of glass dragged out of his side. Kagome stared at the floating shard, awed at the brightness spilling out of the darkness. Ebony blood squirted from the large gaping wound. Her fingers followed their own mind, curling over the tiny fragment. 

            So drawn into the shard was she, that Kagome was completely taken off guard when Naraku slapped her across the face. She pounded into the hard earth, her cheek supporting three long scratches. 

            That woke her up.

            Like a spring, she was back on her feet, her eyes searching out the locations of each shard hidden within his body. Catching a glimpse of a twinkling star in the night, the girl clasped her fingers over the position of the fragment, her powers drawing out the broken jewel pieces.

            Naraku's howls of pain reached such high, intense pitches that it forced hands to protect tender ears. Kagome winced at the decibels hitting her eardrums, but she never moved her hands away. Several more shards were retrieve, blood pouring from her ears. 

            Frantically, Naraku tried with all his powers and strength to move, at least withdraw from her probing fingers, but he was frozen by the wracks of pain. His fury rose, unable to accept a child was defeating him, more importantly the reincarnation of the woman he had lusted over for so long. 

            Bitter hate fizzled, mingling with his torturous burning metal aches. Soon one could see the white of his eyes unveiling. A wild psychotic look overthrew his face, his teeth lengthening to sharp points. 

            Too indulged in her search, the battered miko never noticed the change in her foe. One shard after the other she pulled out, throwing them across the field and away from their reach. 

            _'The last of them are just below his heart.'_

            Unrestrained by disgust and driven by pure lust to end it all, Kagome shoved her entire arm into the demon's chest. Naraku leaned back his head, freeing the broken shriek. Her fingers sunk deeper, burrowing through the thick layers of bloody tissue. Her fingertips enclosed over the group of shards, the empty blackness in the broken shavings wilting away at her pure touch. Kagome sucked in the air, her lungs stinging as she ripped out a wad of flesh, blood, and shards. 

            She stared at the last puzzle pieces. This was the answer to it all. This would set everything right.

            The pink diamonds were flung from her fingertips as he kicked her in the gut. The tiny jewels tumbled through the glass, Kagome falling to her knees in a hunch over their position.

            She exhaled deeply and looked up at her opponent's face as it shook in throbbing torture. She swallowed.

            Standing before her was Naraku, in full demon form. 

            The redness of his eyes swallowed the whiteness in his orbs. Rows of daggers opened a dangerous prison and released a forked tongue. His murky robes tore apart, his muscles bulging through the seams. The human nose dragged out into a long snout, flaring like red horse nostrils. Steam streaked from his panting face, pouring a foul odor at the time traveler. Dark hairs sprung out of gray-splotched skin and covered most of his body in random patches. 

            Kagome gasped, _'He's transformed into a full baboon demon!'_

            He stooped forward, his lip curled in a drooling snarl. Black hair fell over his face a single coal glaring at her immobile form. 

            _'Demon blood rage. God, I've screwed up!'_

            His clawed hands pushed her shoulders to the ground. Kagome blinked rapidly, she hadn't even seen him move. Next he straddled her stomach, her legs forced to lay still with his ankles. His jaws opened, ready to tear her face apart in a single motion. 

            '_Do something!'_

            With her mind in a state of confusion and panic, the girl did all that she could. She pulled at his arms, trying to move him off her. It was so futile of a hope for her that she was unable to see her own doubt. 

She was, after all, desperate. 

            A two hundred pound demon was on top of her, pressing her into the ground. His hands drug over her collarbone and wrapped around her pale neck. The very life was being squeezed out of her.

            She had met this position before, been at the mercy of some opponent. 

            He had always come to save her, though. When she was so close to crossing that line he had come, as her white knight. 

            But she knew she was alone right now. 

            Was she meant to be alone in this dire moment, to rely on herself and no one else?

            She was more than willing to except help.

            Or was this a way of Destiny helping her protect her family? As long as they were outside Naraku's shield than they were out of his reach. 

            Kagome attempted to inhale oxygen, but he wouldn't allow it. In the far corners of her mind a thin veil began to creep towards her. If she went unconscious, then the match would be over. 

            She squirmed again, reaching up and pulling at his forearms. He didn't even budge under the strain. Needle-like tingles ran up her arms, the veil drawing closer.

            _'Don't you dare black out!'_

            Her voice gurgled faintly, her annoying attempt at a growl, as she dug her fingernails into his skin. The jewel pulsed to life, shining a whitish sun between the two. She squeezed her eyes close, her mouth opened into a silent scream. Heat instantaneously built under her palms, becoming as strong as Hell's tongue. 

            It grew, churning into an immeasurable temperature.

            Her eyes opened, dead and dim. Gray doll fuzz floated past her almond orbs. 

            She felt warm all over, like she was sweating on a summer beach without a single drop of oil leaking out of her pours. 

            Her eyes focused on Naraku's ashy face. He was grimacing, pain etched throughout his stretched face. Kagome blinked when, his face was becoming disoriented again. The miko nearly gasped as realizing the giant demon had become literally ash, crumpling to the grass and covering it in a gray winter. In seconds her grip lost the firmness it held, his body now was completely mush.  

            The time traveler's hands went limp falling to the ground. 

            It was over.

            All that she had fought for had finally come to its end. 

            She stared up at the stars, Naraku shield slowly fading away. She watched the white light twinkling with the moon glowing brighter than she had ever seen it shine. It was like the universe was yelling out in victory. 

            A soft giggle crawled up her throat, _'It's over. It's taken four long years, but it's finally over.'_

            "KAGOME!"

            Inuyasha's face got in her view, blocking the pretty sky, "Kagome, come on say something?"

            The miko slowly smiled, "Never call me a weak human, ever again."

            Taking off guard, the hanyou blinked, "Huh?"

            Laughing, the girl shook her head, her eyes drawn back to the stars past his white locks, "Thank you, Destiny."

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            The two pink shards tumbled into her hand, pulsating in perfect unity with the jewel around her neck. Kagome looked up with a smile of gratitude at the wolf leader. 

            He looked into her eyes, soft warmth passing between them. It had taken nearly two hours of fighting with the wolf demon, but she had finally retrieved the last shards from his legs. 

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            _"Get this in your thick skull! I am not and never will be your mate!"_

_            "That's not true!" his pride shouted back. He refused to quit the hunt after four years. So many hours of fighting the mutt over her began to replay in his head, nagging him._

            "You and I are destined!" he growled, stepping forward, almost trying to intimidate her into submission, "How can you deny me?"

_            Kagome rubbed her temples, "Darn it, Kouga."_

_            She was so exhausted from the last hour of crossed words that she decided she had to just give him any explanation to shut up._

_            "I'm going back to my time!" she yelled, commanding silence over the small family in Kaede's hut, "I'm going back to the future."_

_            Not a word was born following the woman's outcry. _

_            She bowed her head; she didn't want it this way. _

_            "I've decided I'm going to stay in my time" she whispered announcing the obvious, "That's where I need to be."_

_            It was so definite to their ears. There was no sound of doubt or anxiety, only a sorrow swimming in her voice. Her mind was set in her choice. _

_            Sango pulled away from her brother lying on the floor, letting Kohaku's exhaustion pull him into sleep. The huntress stepped tentatively towards her sister, "When do you plan to leave?"_

_            'Right now.'_

_            "As soon as I can" Kagome replied instead, "I wanted to say goodbye first."_

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            The last two shards fell into place, completing the orb into a perfect sphere. For a moment the final piece sparkled in happy reunion. Her fingers imprisoned the jewel and the time traveler turned to face the hill. 

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            The elderly woman, who had guided her for so long, wrapped her arms around the time traveler, "May ye life be blessed, child."

_            Kagome clutched Kaede, realizing that another one of her grandmothers was stepping out of her life, "Thank you for watching out for me all these years."_

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            She trudged towards her destination, her footfalls rising with the uphill earth.

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            _"I hope the best for the two of you" Kagome took Miroku's cured hand, "Please, don't kill each other once I leave."_

_            "Never in a million years would I kill my wife-to-be" the monk chuckled, with a lopsided grin._

_            "I don't think I could keep that vow, however" Sango smiled, trying to ignore the tears falling amongst the room, "If he gropes me or any other woman, he dies."_

            An empty laugh rippled through the hut.

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            Kagome bit her lip, checking over everything she had. If she forgot anything, it would be left behind. She would only see it again as an artifact.

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            _Shippo lifted his chin, trying to be adult-like with the farewell, "You won't forget me will you, Kagome."_

_            "Never" she whispered crushing him to her bosom, "How could I ever forget a son so courageous as you."_

_            His small blue eyes widened at the title. The small demon had never actually claimed the time traveler as his foster mother. When she claimed him, however, it felt so right, so perfect. He could no longer hold back his grief._

_            He was losing another parent. _

_            She cuddled him, feeling guilty she was deserting him, but she couldn't bring him to her time. If someone ever found about the fox demon, who knew what scandal would evolve? The time traveler shuddered as she envisioned men in white lab coats entertaining wild experiments on the kitsune. _

_            "I love you . . . mother."_

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            Kagome sniveled, slowing to a stop in front of the stone circle. Her hands tightened in a clasp of prayer over the jewel. 

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            _She stepped outside, powerless to bear the load of emotions inside. _

_            They would leave as soon as the villagers were gathered. Kaede refused to see the girl slip away without a proper farewell. To stay longer would make the farewell sting too much. She would sit there thinking of her family on the other side, the broken remains of her life. Of course, she didn't sell her blood relatives short; it was just that a part of her true family was being taken away. _

_            Kagome's chin trembled, tears dripping, 'I wish it was over with already.'_

_            Kikyo appeared from around the corner and the time traveler quickly straightened. _

_            The woman strode forward, elegant as always. Kagome rubbed her battered jacket, the sleeve newly sewed on. She was so small as Kikyo stood with her robes flowing majestically in the slight breeze. _

_            It was only right such a goddess got his heart. _

_            Kagome forced out a smile, "I hope eternity is kind to the both of you."_

_            "So you are going to just let him walk away" the corpse ignored her reincarnation, instead crossing her arms, "Just let him go without a fight?"_

_            The girl opened her mouth. When no words came she chose to give a small nod. _

_            Kikyo narrowed her eyes; suspicions surfacing again even after their yearlong truce. She wasn't willing to disappear into Hell without Inuyasha. _

_            Kagome rubbed her arm again, "Can't you realize that all I care about is that he's happy? His heart first belonged to you, and still does. I cannot separate him from his heart."_

_            It was Kikyo's turn to be silent._

_            Kagome shoved her hands into her pockets and stepped passed the priestess, "Thanks for all of your help, Kikyo. I hope someday I'll be able to reach the level you stand on."_

_            She didn't care if Kikyo never thought of her again. Kagome just felt a need to express to her ancestor there was more than bitterness in her heart. She didn't want to live in regret that she had never been honest with the woman. _

_            Kagome got past the hut's corner, striding towards the front steps that led down into the village, when she saw him in her path, staring at her._

_            Her breathing stopped, 'Did he hear?'_

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            She stepped onto the stone lip, staring down into the gaping hole of her future. 

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_            "Inuyasha."_

_            It was acknowledgement, not a question. _

_            His eyes spoke volumes of disbelief and betrayal._

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            Pink rays crawled out of the tiny crevices between her fingers. The glow lit up the hill, her traveling party and grandparent watching her go. 

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            _He stepped forward, and then hesitated. _

_            Kagome shifted onto her other foot. _

_            Overriding the anxiety in his heart, the hanyou walked forward, passing the time traveler. _

_            Her eyes widened. _

_            No rude remark. _

_            Not even a foul nickname. _

_            Kagome swallowed back her tears as he went by. _

_            They had already said goodbye. Why should she expect a hug?_

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            Her hair whipped around her, the rosy rays creating a halo around her body. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Goodbye, Inuyasha" she whispered racing down the steps, away from her heart. 

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            Kaede…

            Shippo…

            Sango…

            Miroku…

            Kohaku…

            Kikyo…

            …Inuyasha…

            She looked square into his gold eyes, sucking in a deep breath. He watched her, amber orbs broken in bitter distrust. 

"Be happy, Inuyasha" she whispered a tear choking her throat. 

            The jewel shot open, pouring out the warmth of a thousands suns. Magic of a long distant ancestor pounded into the hillside. A deep pitch grew in their ears, hitting almost a melodic frequency.

            Kagome swallowed her sobs as the jewel disappeared back into its old home in her side. The rosy glow didn't disappear however. 

            Her heel drew backwards, finding the edge of the stone cliff. She let go of all though of hesitation as her weight rolled backwards, pulling her down. Darkness overran the pink as she fell into the portal, the opening like the spotlight at the end of the tunnel. 

            Crossing her arms over her chest, Kagome closed her eyes and accepted her death of this time. Before her eyelids had fully closed, a familiar dark blue light crawled into her vision.

            _'Goodbye . . .'_


	12. Can't Change It Back

Inuyasha: Not mine, theirs. 

Choice of Destiny: Not theirs, mine.

Choice of Destiny

By angelwings1

Chapter 12 ~ Can't Change It Back 

            Destiny walked into the clearing just as the time traveler disappeared into the pit. Automatically, the child pressed her fingers to her lips, "Shhhh."

            Before her finger dropped from her face, her wall of energy damned the entire time flow to a stop.

            She walked silent across the grass, her sight fixed on the stone circle. She passed the small crowd, their eyes blinded to her passing presence. Upon reaching the lip of the well, the child pulled herself over the top and peeked her head over the stone lip.  

            Destiny smiled when she saw the time traveler was frozen between times, her body already halfway into the future. Looking over her shoulder the child studied her handiwork. 

            Destiny smiled sadly, shaking her head, "You still wouldn't decide."

            "You're still willing to make him happy over your own happiness. Your heart is too pure to do anything less."

            Destiny crawled onto the stone top, staring down at the beautiful young woman, "The Shikon Jewel is a powerful source and not even I can undo such a wish, especially, a wish so strong as this one.

            "Naraku was correct when he said that only harmful wishes spill out of the jewel when it is dark with malice. But, you, Higurashi, are pure and your wish is pure. Only someone who has a spirit of Four Souls is able to use the jewel properly.

            "Courage.

            "Wisdom.

            "Friendship.

            "Love.

            "You should remember the story Sango gave all of you four years ago when she brought you to her village to explain the origins of the jewel.

            "Did you remember the miko within the cave, her chest void of its heart? Remember, the jewel is most powerful when the possessor holds the qualities of courage, friendship, wisdom, and love. 

            "Dear, little Higurashi.

            "Courageous when you went against Naraku alone . . . 

            "Wise when you fought with purity and not arrows . . . 

            "Held friendship when you put yourself before others . . . 

            Destiny's smile became joyful, "Love when you sacrificed your wish and life, for him . . ."

            Bowing her head, the child did something that was not meant for a supernatural being. She began to cry. 

            Destiny didn't feel the wetness slipping down her cheeks, or the shudder in her throat, "You have given up so much, and few see it, especially him.

            "If I could I would not let you throw away your happiness, let you disappear down into the portal, but the jewel is stronger than I. There is no way to bend its will."

            Emerald eyes trailed over the hill, finding the hanyou. One of his feet was half-raised in hesitant advancement towards the Bone Eater's well. The tiny supernatural creature bit her lower lip, "He would watch you go."

            Shaking her head in defeat she hopped off the stone, "Unfortunately I cannot intervene in this wish, only press it forward."

            Her steps were light, passing through the unmoving air. The wisps of time trailed through her fingers, strapping down the stone audience. 

            Destiny stared up at the dog demon, and shortly then, towards the dead priestess.  

            Kikyo . . . a woman who, at an early age, took the positions as priestess in her village and segregate mother to her younger sister. Often perceived as a goddess by her townsmen, the priestess was given high praise. 

            She was beautiful.

            Kind, sincere . . . 

            Alone . . . 

            She was on a pedestal they would never hope to climb Kikyo somberly watched them live separated from her. At first, she had been able to bear the empty solitude, but soon a nagging need for love crept into her heart, pleading. 

            She had to ignore the mortal lust for years, but she had come of age when woman were already bearing their first child. Men showered her with complements, some even offered her gifts, but they saw her as a priestess, a goddess, a being they could never equal. 

            When actually she was an _ordinary_ human. 

            Inuyasha was the first who saw her as a regular person. His eyes mistook her for someone who would reject a hanyou. 

            He had expected her to kill him. When she denied him death, he was perplexed. He tried again and again to steal the jewel each time falling prey to her attacks, but never given death. If he could not have the jewel, his last chance at happiness, then he wanted her to kill him. 

            Fate would not allow it. 

            He was drawn to her because she did not follow the ways of humans. 

            She was drawn to him because he did not see her as a goddess. 

            They could see more than the outer layers and that's what led them to each other. 

            Together they proceeded with side by side hoping to fill their curiosity. 

            Kikyo easily fell for the hanyou. She had been waiting for someone to see beyond her title, and he had been the first. For a while, she was wary of growing near a demon, but her deep desire for a friendship love would not be silent. If he would accept her, then she would give him her heart. 

            Inuyasha was lost in his own confusion. When did a human accept a hanyou? 

            Fascinated by the woman's insane behavior, the demon kept close to her. It wasn't long before his fascination became more. 

            They saw each other as more than human and hanyou, more than friends. However, their hearts were weak, open to any attack that might be forged by the fates.

            And, sadly, the fates have some sick belief in love . . .           

Naraku appeared tearing their relationship at the seams. Broken at their weakest link, the two turned on one another, suddenly realizing their hopes were too well dreamed. From there the story unraveled. 

            When Kikyo returned to life, her heart was bitter, filled with hate for her lack of happiness in life. She attacked the focus of her downfall, Naraku and Inuyasha. She rejected her life, fed up with her empty past life. 

            She was misled into burning hate during her dead walk into rebirth. She was bitter towards Inuyasha and turned to aid the one who had destroyed her life. 

            Inuyasha had another woman by his side, and she was furious that he had ever found someone, so fast, to replace her. 

            She turned to Naraku, eager to get revenge on both men for ruining everything.  

            Destiny shook her head, pressing a tiny palm over the hanyou's heart, "You have lived a long sad life, Inuyasha, a life I know from beginning to present.

            "Now the jewel has been bestowed upon you through the power of a wish ready to fulfill your greatest desire."

            She stared hard at his stone expression. 

            "So, Inuyasha, what will make you happy?"

            Destiny's emerald slid close, a light consuming her small hand. It didn't take long for the young being to read the demon's heart. 

            Her eyes snapped open, wide with surprise. She gaped and stared up at the golden orbs that looked passed her shoulder. 

            "You love her" she trembled, "Your entire soul is dedicated to her. I don't understand this." 

            Tears slipped from her eyes, "You're a lucky woman, Higurashi."

            Kagome. 

            He had fallen for her from the moment they met. Was it fate's way of reuniting two mates? Or was it bringing two new loves together?

            Inuyasha would always feel responsible for Kikyo's death. She had been the first he had ever fallen for. She had been the love of a youth's. 

Even though Inuyasha was several decades old, he was by demon years still a young teenage boy when he first met her. He had never known love aside from his mother, and when he found a small bit in a single woman, why wouldn't he fall for her?

            A boy in a man's body . . . 

            A woman with a girl's heart . . .

            And then a girl with the soul of a woman . . . 

            The three of them were a jumble of emotions, blindly sorting out their directions in life.

            Fate had actually done the right thing for a change.

            Reincarnation was meant to bring to life a person who had yet to reach Heaven. You had to be pure of heart to reach heaven, and Kikyo had failed the moment her heart became bitter towards Inuyasha. Fate waited for the right moment and gave birth to the small Kagome, her heart becoming her own upon first breath. She was not Kikyo, but she was still a second chance. 

            A second chance at what?

            Was she brought here to balance the world of evil and good? Or was she the only being who could stop a monster from wrecking the future?

            No, fate is not so cruel.

            When Kagome Higurashi first arrived in the Feudal Era, she was a girl who had no direction in life. She was lost in the immaturity of her peers, trying to find the ultimate purpose for herself. She had known since high school that she was not like the other students. She could sense fate was playing through her life, bringing her to some climaxing destiny. It had nagged at her for years, piercing her every moment with some thought of an unseen purpose.

            When she had first laid eyes on the Feudal Era, she realized her mysterious destiny would be found there. 

            She didn't realize at first that she was the reincarnation of a beautiful priestess. 

            Or that she was a powerful miko.

            Or that she would fall in love. 

            But she knew when her feet touched the solid earth outside her well that she was in for the biggest experience of her life. 

            She came in contact with a boy's heart that was bitter and confuse. Even though her temper was tested by his rude behavior, she unknowingly opened herself to him. Together they found a common goal, and sought each other's strengths to succeed. Even with them _using_ the other for the retrieval of the jewel, they began to set themselves up as partners, even close friends.

            They never noticed their hearts crawling closer together, until it was too late.

            Inuyasha had never understood love when he met Kikyo, and neither did she. They knew what it was suppose to be like, but they had none for each other. They forced it in every way they could, but it was too unnatural, too artificial.

            With Kagome it was pure, even holy. 

            Inuyasha cared for Kikyo, but it was not love. He was bounded to her through respect and loyalty, even pity for her never having her own love. However, love can never be so forced. 

            He even after her death, he tried to push himself closer to Kikyo, refusing to believe his time with her long ago had been only a vain dream. He was too stubborn and proud to let the memories blow away like dust. 

            But he was wrong.

            Their relationship had lacked that piece that would make their love true.  

            Love was unconditional.

            He and Kikyo had placed pillars between themselves, saying if 'you love me you would understand.' 

            _'If you love me, then become human.'_

_            'If you love me, then you will help me become demon.'_

_            'If you love me, you will come to Hell.'_

_            'If you love me, you will help me stop Naraku.'_

            As he traveled with Kagome in the last four years, he had begun to mature in spirit. Though still a stubborn child at heart, the man began to understand what true love was. 

            True love . . . 

            It was acceptance.

            "It's time to fulfill that wish!" Destiny grinned widely, pulling her hand away and fading from sight. In a rolling turbulence, the damn collapsed and the flood banks opened.

            Kagome's words whispered over the field in a fading echo, _"Be happy."_

            All of time came back to a start, whirling into a wild tornado of motion. 

            "KAGOME!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The young boy raced across the paved courtyard, garden tool in hand, "Grandfather, I got it."

            An aged man smiled broadly as he stood in the afternoon sun, "Good, Souta. Now hurry up, we need to get this garden started, before the sun goes down."

            Together the two relatives broke into the patch of dirt at the corner of their shrine. The air was warm, summer brewing on the edge of tomorrow. The metal ran through the rich soil dragging open several long trenches. 

            "Do you think she'll stay the entire summer over there?" the boy mumbled quietly, watching his elder doing the hard work. 

            Already sweat was rolling down his old body, "That's what she said didn't she?"

            The young preteen pushed a loose piece of pavement with the toe of his shoe, "Well, yes, but I was hoping to go to the park with her. Hang out and stuff. Ever since she's been to the Feudal Era, she doesn't spend as much time with me anymore."

            "Well, she is in college, Souta" the man shrugged, irritably tired from the heavy strain on his arms and back, "She's grown up and begun to move into her own life. You need to understand your sister won't be around as often, but she did promise to return before her next semester. Perhaps you can ask her to go to the park before her classes begin."

            "Maybe" he shrugged. 

            A clang resonated from the metal tool interrupting the conversation. The men's eyes fell as the elder nudged a small pile across the ground.

"What's this?" the grandfather hunched over and with a wrinkled hand wiped away the layers of dirt. A small, beat up stone box appeared from under the mess. Carefully the priest lifted the container, noticing their family name engraved into the lid. The metal hinges squeaked as the two men opened the stone box, anxiety growing with each moment.

            There, sitting wrinkled and aged like the grandfather priest, was a yellow piece of folded paper. Since his relative had both hands full with the box and garden tool, Souta pulled out the parchment and read aloud the scribbled Japanese. 

_"Dear family, _

_            I wish I could be there when I told you my sad news, but unfortunately I was never meant to return to the present. I have recently killed Naraku and finally completed the Shikon Jewel. I was granted my wish, but I did not think it would turn out this way. _

_I asked for Inuyasha to be happy. As a result Kikyo had been sent back to Hell and to peace, along with myself contained back in the past to stay at Inuyasha's side. _

_Although this was my dream, to be with him, I have sadly been taken away from you. The well is sealed and I have no way to return. I desperately wanted to contact you and could only think about burying a letter where you would be preparing the new garden. _

_I wish I could say I would one day return, but I don't think I'll ever find my way home, again. _

_I'm sorry. _

_Grandfather, please remember to take your medicine. Don't push all of the shrine's merchandise on the neighbors. _

_Mom, try not to baby Souta; he's becoming a big boy. Also, can you cancel my scholarships for the fall? I don't think I'll be returning to the university. _

_Souta, I'm sorry I couldn't hang out with you. I'm sure you wanted to go to the lake and canoe, or something. Remember to mind grandpa. _

_I love you all. I will never forget you, for I already miss you far too much. _

_How can one just pick up everything and leave? It's impossible to even consider, but here I am blocked from ever returning. _

_I cannot say I am completely sad, though. _

_In a way I guess this was foreseen. As we know I only had a few years left of college, before I took a position as a historian. I would have gotten married and had children (if I ever got over Inuyasha). I would have probably moved away. _

_It's just now I'm doing it a lot sooner. _

_I promise to stay in contact. I'll continue to write to you and leave messages throughout this spot. _

_Maybe you'll see me in the history books. _

_With Love, _

_Kagome Higurashi_

            The letter stretched in the boy's clenched hands, his cry for his mother bellowing throughout the courtyard. Flower blossom spiraled down from the God tree in silent tears as two men raced towards the young lady that was hurrying out of the house. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Kagome bowed her head, words racing through her mind. It was almost a week since that day, when Kikyo had disappeared to Hell. 

The young time traveler closed her eyes whispering a soundless prayer over the fresh mound. 

            _'I love you.'_

            She bit her trembling lip as tears sunk into the naked earth. She did not regret her decision. It had been a painful scene to watch as the priestess had disappeared into the fiery pits, but she and Kikyo realized how right the fates had played out. There was no regret between the two when they knew this would make him happy. It had been, also, plain to Kagome that sad consequences would follow no matter what time period she would choose. 

Both were homes, but she could not stay at both. 

"Do you miss them?" he spoke soft, a tinge of fear in his tone.

She smiled with her head still bow and eyes still closed, "Yes."

            She could imagine him flinching behind her, "Do you regret being here?"

            Chocolate eyes opened, staring down at the funeral mound. In a graceful, proud pull the miko stood and faced the hanyou. 

            Her sights trailed up his fire rat robes, over his rosary, and stopped on his vulnerable amber eyes. His selfish wish had taken her away from her blood family, a foundation he wished to remember. 

            "No, I don't regret it?" she answered easily, staring straight at him. 

            He searched the deep pit of her eyes. Where was the doubt and regret? Even with the rain of tears pouring from her glistening jeweled eyes, he saw a warm twinkle of the reaction completely opposite of what he expected. 

            "How can you not regret leaving behind your family?" his voice grew loud, and frustrated, "How can you just be happy that everything you grew up around is gone?"

            Kagome walked towards the scowling hanyou and nervously took his hand. His hand twitched in her grip, surprised by her boldness. 

            She held his hand, and unconsciously ran her thumb over the bruised knuckles. Holding the demon's hand was a tender awkward. Neither of them had an easy time showing their affection, especially him, but right there standing just a few yards away from the tree where they first met, it was the precise time to take his hand. 

            Kagome was uncomfortable with the foreign touch, but she was ready to open up. 

            Their inner desires had been unraveled, revealed upon the hill. Years of their youth were undone, spelled out word for word what their life had added up to. 

            Destiny had literally whispered into their ears and explained everything. 

            Now it was their destiny to continue where they left off.

            "It hard to say goodbye" she admitted still staring at his rough hand, "but I was going to leave them one day."

            "But you won't see them again" he insisted, desperate. He just couldn't accept her answer.  

            "Maybe" she mumbled, "And maybe I will see them again."

            Her sight switched to his eyes, looking at the confusion in his heart. 

            "But that doesn't matter to me right now, Inuyasha" she confessed, "I'm here now and I can't change where I am. I, honestly, wouldn't have been completely happy, anyway, if I had made it to the present, and was locked away from this time."

            Instantly at her words, a flame burst into his chest.

            Her smile widened, "Remember, Inuyasha this is what I wanted to happen. I'm happier here than I ever would be in the future."

            Before he could react, she released his hand and headed back to Kaede's village. He stared at the sunlight glancing off her crown. A smirk drug onto his face and he quickly caught up with her, his stride matching hers. 

            "I still don't understand why?" he urged, mischief dancing in his tone.

            She smiled up at him, "Well, I have plenty of time to explain it to you."

            They would take it slow through this new, frightening position. They didn't have to rush into this. Understanding your feelings and acting on those understandings were two different things. 

Give it time.  

            Destiny grinned from her seat in the grass. Her melodic laugh danced through clearing between the God tree and the Bone Eater's well. Everything had worked out as plan, and she had barely played a part in the story. 

            Her eyes grew soft seeing the two lovebirds fading off. With a small hand she reached up and untied the scarf that crossed her brow. Smiling into the warmth of the sun she shook her head and led her glossy black hair into a dance. 

            The summer looked promising. 

            Surprisingly two dark triangles fluttered from the girl's head. Her white-rimmed demon ears swiveled towards the direction of the village hearing the sounds of warm, happy voices. 

            "Can't wait to see you in the future" the child echoed to her parents as her body gradually disappeared from sight. 

            For now, the couple had all the time in the world before they ever met her again.

The End?


	13. Sequel!

Author's Notes

Well, my story has been completed, but that's just the beginning of Kagome's story. She's finally chosen her destiny. Now she must continue her life within the Feudal Era and still find a way to visit the future. She can never give up on the chance to see her family again.

            Not to mention her relationship with Inuyasha has changed. They both know about the other's love, but it will take time to grow comfortable with the affection between each other. Love is the hardest thing to work out between two people, especially when two people, such as they, have lived hurt lives and hardly open to each other. 

            And of course, demons are always a problem. Especially when they believed the miko has become a hazard to the demons. And of course, they would love to separate the Shikon Jewel from the woman's body, by any means. 

            Miroku once said that wishes through the Shikon Jewel bring only misfortune. Could Kagome's wish be a regret even if she got to stay with the one she loves?

Tell me what you think about the coming sequel:

Walk of Destiny 

[Coming soon, so be on the look out]


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